Are You Gonna Be My Girl
by CajunWitch
Summary: Hermione returns for her final year at Hogwarts. Rejects Head Girl position, this year is all about fun for her. One night she and Ginny sneak out of Hogwarts. When they sneak back in, Head Boy Draco catches them. Ginny is able to get away, but Hermione is at his mercy!
1. Chapter 1

**Are You Gonna be My Girl**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing related to Harry Potter.**

**Summary****: One shot! It is after the wizarding war and Hermione has taken a summer job as a receptionist at a wizarding music studio. She makes cool new friends at her workplace and this gets her into a bit of trouble when she returns for her final year at Hogwarts. **

Ginny, Harry, and Ron couldn't understand why Hermione wanted to work for the summer! They intended on enjoying their time off before going back to Hogwarts or in the case of Harry and Ron, beginning to train to become Aurors. They tried to persuade Hermione to relax and have a laidback summer, but Hermione just felt restless. She loved her friends, but she wanted to do something different. Hermione just felt there was something out there waiting for her.

Before the summer had even begun, Hermione had been looking at the job listings in the Daily Prophet. She knew she didn't want to work at the Ministry, so she applied at a few stores in Diagon Alley, including her favorite bookstore, Flourish and Blotts. She went on a few interviews, only to be told that she wasn't experienced enough or was constantly asked why did someone as notable as one of the Golden Trio want to work at their mediocre place of employment? Hermione wished to be treated normally and didn't think it was going to be so difficult to find a summer job. When she saw the ad for a temporary receptionist at Mesmerize Studios, she almost didn't bother applying, but figured why not? It might even be an interesting place to work, Hermione thought. She knew that Mesmerize was home to the Weird Sisters band amongst other well-known and up and coming wizard musical acts. She sent her resume by owl and was surprised when she received an owl from Mesmerize an hour later. She was asked to come in for an interview the next day at 10:00 a.m.

The moment Hermione stepped into Mesmerize Studios she suddenly had a good feeling. The place was alive, a breath of fresh air. There seemed to be an electrical charge in the atmosphere, as if there was always something exciting taking place. She walked up to the front desk and was greeted by a very pregnant receptionist. The young and pretty blond woman smiled warmly and asked Hermione to have a seat while she let Mr. Byron Clement, the director of human resources, know that Hermione had arrived.

Hermione watched the young woman waddle down the hall. _So that's why the position is temporary, they need someone to take her place while she's on maternity leave, _Hermione thought. If she was hired for the position, it would work out perfectly because by the time the woman was ready to return to her job, Hermione would be going back to Hogwarts.

Mr. Clement came out a few minutes later and brought Hermione to his office. She was taken back a little by how young the director was, but as they walked to his office, she observed this company seemed to be surrounded by young people in their late teens and twenties. Byron Clement was 26 years old and had been with Mesmerize since he was 19. He started off as an office runner and worked his way to director of human resources. Byron was tall and wiry with boyish features. His brown hair was long and reached the middle of his back, which he secured in a low ponytail. His smile was warm and he didn't come across as being fake or too serious as some of the other people Hermione had interviews with previously. They made it to his office and Mr. Clement offered Hermione a seat in front of his desk and he shut the door. He sat across from her and began speaking.

"Hermione Jean Granger! It sure is nice to meet you," Byron said heartily.

"It's good to meet you too Mr. Clement, thank you for giving me an opportunity for an interview," Hermione replied, a little shocked at how gregarious he was, but at the same time she liked him.

"Please call me Byron. Mr. Clement is my father. Sandy, the receptionist you just met always insists on referring to me as "Mr." I haven't been able to break her out of the habit, but I'm working on it," Byron chuckled.

From there the interview went wonderfully and by the end, Hermione was offered the job. She accepted and started working the next day. Sandy trained her for the rest of the week and then left for her maternity leave. Hermione was ready to tackle the new job and was satisfied that she had made the right decision.

Those three months, June, July, and August at Mesmerize, were probably the most exciting and memorable Hermione had ever had in all her young life. By the end of the summer, she knew all of the members of the Weird Sisters personally, along with members of the other acts Mesmerize represented. The whole summer had been filled with free concerts, backstage passes, and amazing parties! Hermione had been able to get passes for her friends for most of these events, so she was still able to hang out with them.

She and Ron had dated after the war ended and lost their virginity to each other. But it wasn't long before they came to a mutual agreement that they were better off as friends. Hermione wondered what the big deal about sex was all about. It was painful the first time and it was over within a few minutes. She and Ron had slept together a few more times, but it always ended with Ron grunting after he came into her and then he fell asleep. Ginny had such a look of bliss when she told her about sex with Harry and Hermione wondered what she was missing out on. Was there some secret about sex out there and no one let her in on it? Nowadays, she and Ron enjoyed their friendship and Ron had even gone on a few dates with young women she worked with. Hermione had gone on a few dates as well, but no young man sparked her interest. She had a few interesting make-out sessions, but she didn't sleep with anyone that summer. Some of the young men and women she worked with had no qualms about one-night stands, but Hermione couldn't bring herself to do it. Sex changed everything as far as she was concerned. She didn't want to be tied down; she was only eighteen years old for Merlin's sake. This summer had been so liberating, Hermione really felt as if she had put the horrors of the war behind her. For once it was good to be a normal teenager and enjoy life.

Hermione worked until the day before she had to leave for Hogwarts. It worked out well because Sandy was returning the next day. Hermione was set to leave work at 5 pm, when she was called into the lounge. She was shocked when she walked in and realized her coworkers were giving her a going away party! Byron let her know that everyone at Mesmerize was happy with the job she'd done and that she was welcome to come back after she finished at Hogwarts. The alcohol was flowing and the party went on into the wee hours of the morning. She didn't make it back to her parents' house until 3 am. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were not thrilled when Hermione woke them up as she stumbled up the stairs, giggling and hiccupping.

When she woke up a few hours later with her head throbbing, Hermione was grateful for the wonder of the Hangover Potion. She had packed everything a few days before, so she didn't have to worry about that. Her parents raised their eyebrows when she joined them for breakfast, but chuckled when Hermione gave them a sheepish grin. They were upset that she had come in so late, but also a little relieved that their only daughter was behaving like a typical teenager. They were glad to see that she had seemed to really enjoy her summer working at the recording studio.

Hermione pulled her hair in messy bun and held it together with two black lacquer chopsticks. She was wearing a fitted Weird Sisters T-shirt and distressed jeans with black combat boots. Putting on a little mascara and lip gloss, she took one last look in the mirror. Hermione laughed at her reflection when she realized someone had sprayed glitter in her hair the night before. She could've done a charm to make it disappear, but she thought hell with it and kept it.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger drove her to Kings Cross station one last time. Hermione hugged her parents and made her way onto the train. She met up with Ginny and they found an empty compartment to share. Ginny asked why Hermione had glitter in her hair and laughed as Hermione told her about the going away party. As the train began to move, they chatted about how fun the summer had been.

Ginny wondered who was going to be the new Head Boy and Girl. A month before, Hermione had received a letter from Hogwarts stating that she was awarded the Head Girl position, but she turned it down. Ginny couldn't understand why, so she asked Hermione about it.

"I was so shocked when Harry told me you didn't accept the Head Girl position! I thought that was always your goal since you started at Hogwarts," Ginny stated. She and Harry had started dating exclusively after the war.

"Becoming Head Girl was my goal before the war, but my priorities have changed since then Gin. I want to enjoy my last year of school. I want to be free from responsibility and maybe even break a few rules. It's like I had this epiphany over the summer; I realized I didn't have to be so serious, I want to have fun!" Hermione replied, smiling.

"I get it Hermione. I guess we're so used to you always being the level-headed one, you keep everyone in line. But you know what? I like this new side of you. This school year is going to be unlike any other one!" Ginny grinned.

"I plan on it. Byron told me he's going to let me know whenever there's a party or a good concert. I also figured out how we can sneak out of Hogwarts. We'll be able to go to London every weekend!" Hermione said excitedly.

"Hermione, what if we get caught?" Ginny asked.

"Ginny, who's going to find out? Admit it, who would ever think that "Bookworm Granger" would be sneaking out of Hogwarts to go to a party or a concert?" Hermione asked with an innocent expression.

"I guess you're right. No one would suspect you. This is so exciting; I like 'Bad Hermione'!" Ginny chuckled.

Ginny and Hermione speculated on what kind of parties or concerts they would be attending, when they noticed that the train was almost at Hogwarts. They pulled their robes over their muggle clothing. Ginny was wearing jeans and a T-shirt too.

The young women disembarked from the train and waved at Hagrid, who was busy with the First Years. Hagrid gave them a big smile and waved back. He returned to herding the First Years to the horseless carriages.

They were walking along with the rest of the students when Ginny put her hand on Hermione's arm to get her attention.

"Look who's Head Boy," Ginny said jerking her head towards the young man.

Hermione made a face and then began to laugh. "I can't believe he actually came back for his final year and he's Head Boy! What was the new Headmistress thinking? Thank Merlin for small favors that I didn't accept the Head Girl position. Can you imagine being stuck with Malfoy for the whole school year?"

"I know, huh? He's really going to be more of a wanker than ever. Let the power trip begin. Look at the way he's talking to those First Years. Fucking creep," Ginny chuckled and shook her head.

"I see Susan Bones is Head Girl. I know it's wrong of me to say this, but better her than me," Hermione grinned as they walked past Malfoy harassing the First Years.

"Well, well if it isn't Granger and Weasley. Hey Granger, I heard you turned down the Head Girl position. What's the matter? Don't think you'll be able to handle the pressure?" Draco asked in his usual snarky manner. One would think the events of the war would've have changed his ugly ways, but he was still a git.

Hermione stopped walking and sighed. "Malfoy, I just want to enjoy my last year of school. Go back to harassing the younger students or whatever you were doing. I don't want to get into anything with you, stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours." With that, Hermione turned her back to him and started walking to where the carriages were waiting.

Draco was astounded. He thought for sure that Granger was going to start arguing with him and he could've deducted points from Gryffindor. What was up with her? She had changed from the last time he'd seen her and Draco found himself watching the soft sway of her hips underneath the robes she was wearing. He also noticed the combat boots, rather than the prim loafers she had worn in previous years. Something was up with Granger; he was going to have to keep an eye on her.

Ginny looked at Hermione in amazement. "What just happened? It wasn't that long ago you and Malfoy would've been exchanging hexes! How did you manage to stay so calm and walk away?"

Hermione had a thoughtful look on her face. "I'm not sure Gin, but I think a big part of it is that I feel like I'm past the petty bullshit I've always shared with Malfoy. I just don't feel like dealing with him this year and if he wants to hurl insults, have at it. I intend on ignoring him and walking away like I just did."

"This is definitely going to be an interesting year. I can't wait to see how long you go without hexing Malfoy," Ginny chuckled.

"I'm telling you Gin. I just don't care anymore. I want to take it easy and have fun my last year. Come on, let's get going. I'm hungry," Hermione said and climbed into a carriage. Ginny climbed in after her and Malfoy was forgotten as they discussed more important matters, like clothes and makeup.

A month went by without incident until one day in Potions class. It was a warm day and Hermione couldn't wait to get out of the stifling robes. Her right ankle began to itch, so she pushed her robe aside and scratched at the itch with her quill. When she was done, she happened to look up and saw Malfoy was staring at her with the strangest look on his face. Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to taking notes as the instructor lectured. Ginny was right; Malfoy is a fucking creep.

Draco had been taking notes, when he was suddenly distracted by the sight of Granger's slim tanned leg poking out of her robe. He'd been thinking a lot about her lately and it was driving him crazy that she seemed oblivious to his taunts. Draco was also thinking about her at other times too, in the shower, and in his bed late at night. It killed him that Granger invaded his thoughts so often; he'd never been attracted to her before, but Granger had changed over the summer. Granger was looking good and her indifferent attitude towards him made her even hotter.

Hermione noticed that Malfoy always seemed to be staring at her whether it was in class or in the Great Hall when they were taking their meals. Ginny had even commented on it.

"There he goes, he's staring again. Do you think he has a thing for you? Oh Malfoy, you're such a stud!" Ginny said devilishly as she and Hermione giggled.

"Perish the thought Gin! He's probably thinking of ways to try to piss me off, so I lose my temper and he can deduct points from our house," Hermione said as she looked in his direction. When she caught his eye, Draco hurriedly put his head down and went back to his plate of food.

Just then owls flew in to deliver mail. Ginny received a package from her mother and a letter from Harry. Hermione had a letter from her ex-boss, Byron. She showed the envelope to Ginny and grinned.

"Let's see what this is about," Hermione said happily as she opened the letter. She and Ginny read it together and their eyes lit up. Byron had invited them to a launch party for an up-and-coming group, Tormented Toms. The party was scheduled for the following Saturday night, which was three days away.

"Yay, our first party of the school year! Let's go back to our dorm so we can plan our outfits," Ginny said excitedly.

"You read my mind," Hermione replied and chuckled. They walked out of the Great Hall together, chatting happily.

Draco watched them leave, his eyes narrowing. He wondered what was in that letter Granger received. She and Weasley were sure excited about its contents. Probably something from Saint Potter and his sidekick, Weaselbee. He had heard through the gossip channels that Ginny Weasley and Potter was an item. He hadn't heard too much about Granger and Weaselbee, but he assumed that they were a couple too. _How pathetic, _Draco thought, _if the only excitement in their lives was news from Potty and Weaselbee. _

Saturday afternoon, Ginny and Hermione managed to sneak out of Hogwarts. Luck was with them because most of the students were at Hogsmeade. They left in their school robes and carried overnight bags with their makeup and party clothes inside. Hermione smiled as she easily undid the charm disguising the floo network. When the floo appeared, she shouted the address of the apartment of one of the young women she had befriended over the summer. Drea had agreed to let Ginny and Hermione crash at her apartment. She greeted them enthusiastically when they arrived and they had fun getting ready for the party. Drea had prepared a pitcher of margaritas, so they were slightly intoxicated when they arrived at the party.

Ginny looked cute in a short, off-white dress with navy polka dots and a soft ribbon belt. She had no shortage of dance partners and stayed on the dance floor. Hermione was wearing a fitted mini-black strapless dress with thigh-high black boots. She had become friends with the lead singer of Tormented Toms over the summer and Paul dedicated a muggle song to her. Hermione felt herself blushing as he started to sing the muggle band Jet's song, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl."

"_**Big black boots,**_

_**long brown hair,**_

_**she's so sweet**_

_**with her get back stare.**_

_**Well I could see,**_

_**you home with me,**_

_**but you were with another man, yea!**_

_**I know we,**_

_**ain't got much to say,**_

_**before I let you get away, yea!**_

_**I said, are you gonna be my girl?"**_

Paul had flirted with Hermione all summer and she always nicely rebuffed his offers of asking her out. Paul was known as a "player" according to the office gossip, so Hermione wasn't interested, but it was fun to flirt with him. When the song was over, Paul winked and blew her a kiss. Hermione shook her head and laughed. It was all in good fun.

When it was about 3:00 a.m., the young women decided to head back to Hogwarts. They returned to Drea's apartment and put their school robes over their party clothes. Hermione figured if they were caught they could make up an excuse about being out of bed at such a late hour. They made it back to Hogwarts and Hermione was relieved to see that the hall where the hidden floo network was located seemed to be empty. They had started to walk back to their dorm when Ginny, who was still intoxicated, began to giggle and couldn't stop. She started singing "Big black boots, long brown hair," in a deep voice and blowing sloppy kisses to Hermione.

"Gin, keep it down. Someone is going to hear you!" Hermione whispered sharply. Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck stood up when she heard a familiar voice.

"Too late, someone heard. Come on out where I can see you. You better have a damn good explanation as to why you're out so late," Malfoy drawled as he stood at the end of the hall. He figured it was some younger students who had been tasked with some kind of prank, so imagine his surprise when he saw it was Granger and Weasley.

Ginny sobered up quickly and gave Hermione a wide-eyed look. They were so screwed, Ginny thought. Malfoy would probably waste no time in turning them in to Headmistress McGonagall.

Draco gave a harsh laugh when he saw them. "This is too good to be true; you two bints are in so much trouble! What the hell are you doing out of bed at this hour?" He stepped closer and sniffed the air. "Is that alcohol on your breath? Wow, the Gryffindor princesses have been out drinking! Come on, off to the Headmistress' office."

"Come on Malfoy, cut us some slack. We promise it won't happen again," Hermione said.

"Yeah Malfoy, for once in your life do something decent," Ginny said.

"The hell with you two, you're going down!" Malfoy exclaimed and gave a malicious laugh.

"I'll do anything, don't turn us in," Hermione said and immediately regretted it when she saw Malfoy's eyes darken.

"Anything Granger? Now that's an interesting proposition. Let me think about it," Draco replied thoughtfully and rubbed his chin.

"When I say go, make a run for it Gin," Hermione muttered.

"You really think that's going to work," Ginny, suddenly feeling sober, muttered back, but was interrupted when Hermione shouted, "Go!"

Ginny took off in one direction of the hall and Hermione ran in the other one. She figured that this would catch Malfoy by surprise and give them a chance to get back to their dorm before he could turn them in. What Hermione hadn't counted on was finding out that the direction she had run in led her to a dead end. Malfoy, that pompous arse, was probably aware of this as he walked slowly towards her.

"Tsk, tsk Granger, so honorable of you to let your friend make a clean getaway. I bet you didn't realize that this hallway leads to a dead end. What do you propose I should do with you?" Draco said jokingly but with an underlying tone that indicated he was serious.

Hermione groaned when she found herself with nowhere to go. "Fine Malfoy, let's go wake up the Headmistress. I'll take the blame for everything, I'll deal with the detentions and points taken away from my House," Hermione said and started to walk away. She flinched when she felt Malfoy grab her by the arm and tried to pull her arm away. "Damn it Malfoy, I told you I was going to turn myself in!"

"No, no. That's not what you said earlier. You said you'd do anything if didn't turn you and Weasley in to the Headmistress. I prefer that. I'm sure you didn't think it would get to this point, did you Granger? You thought you were so smart with your little plan of you and Weasley running in opposite directions to throw me off. Didn't quite work, did it?" Draco replied in his annoyingly smooth drawl. He still held on to Hermione's arm and pulled her into an empty room.

Meanwhile, Ginny had made it back to the Gryffindor dorm without incident. She waited for about 10 minutes and then began to worry because Hermione still hadn't made it back. Ginny wasn't sure what to do, so she decided to leave the dorm again. She wondered if Malfoy had caught Hermione. _Damn it, why did Hermione run in the other direction, _Ginny thought as she walked back to the spot where they were caught.

Hermione's heart was beating fast as she looked apprehensively around the empty room Malfoy had brought them in. He had a dark look on his face as he stared at her and performed a locking charm on the door. _Think fast Hermione, how are you going to get out of this? What did Malfoy want? I don't like the way he's staring at me, _Hermione thought as she watched Malfoy with a wary look.

Ginny made it back to the corridor, but to her dismay it was empty. She had no idea that there was an empty room for Draco had transfigured the door to disappear. There could only be two options Ginny could think of. The best one would be that Hermione would be waiting for her when she returned to the Gryffindor dorm or worst case scenario; Malfoy had turned her friend in to the Headmistress. _Hermione and I had so much fun tonight; I knew it was too good to be true, _Ginny thought as she quickly walked back to the dorm. _Please be there Hermione!_

Malfoy pushed Hermione against the wall and undid her robes. He smirked when he saw what she was wearing underneath them and felt a tightening in his crotch. He was always a sucker for a little black dress, especially the way Granger filled it out. His eyes traveled appreciatively over the curves of her petite frame.

"I knew you and Weasley were up to something. Did you go out to meet Potty and Weaselbee? I bet Weaselbee didn't know what to do when he saw you dressed like this. Did you enjoy making him crazy by dressing like a whore?" Draco hissed.

"Whatever you say Malfoy. Let's get this over with. Hex me, turn me in, take points away, just let me get back to my dorm," Hermione said in a bored tone, but inside she was a bundle of nerves and her heart was about to beat out of her chest. At that moment, Malfoy put his hand over her heart and grinned.

"You give off this cool vibe Granger, but your heart tells a different story. You're afraid aren't you?" Draco whispered in her ear.

"Don't be daft Malfoy, no one's afraid of you, you're all talk," Hermione scoffed, not liking that the touch and warmth of his hand on her bare skin was not as unpleasant as she thought it would be.

"Shut up Granger," Draco said softly as his face came close to hers. He looked down at her lips then looked into her eyes before capturing her lips with his.

_No, no this isn't happening! Malfoy kissing me? What the hell! _Hermione thought as she tried to push him away, but he grabbed her hands and pinned them against the wall as he pushed his body against hers. _Oh his lips are really soft, Malfoy can kiss, _was what was running in her mind, but her good sense kicked in and she turned her face away. _Damn it all, I felt that kiss all the way down from my head to my toes, _Hermione thought.

Draco looked at her with hooded eyes when she turned away and then freed one of her pinned hands, so he could grab her chin and make her face him again. "Come on Granger, this is your way out of your current predicament."

"I would rather be eaten alive by a pack of wolves," Hermione growled. Draco chuckled and took that opportunity to kiss her again, this time his tongue went into her mouth, lightly tangling with hers. His hands went down to her hips and he pulled her against him. _Granger has no idea how much she is turning me on. If I would've known it felt like this I would've made this happen much sooner, _Draco thought as he kissed her.

Hermione put her hands against his chest to push him away but he was too strong. He pushed against her and she could feel his erection against her stomach. _What the hell is Malfoy going to do? I thought he was repulsed by me! Why did he make that remark about Ron? _ These were the thoughts going through Hermione's head.

When Draco moved his head down to kiss her on the neck, Hermione jerked his head up with her hand. "What the hell Malfoy? Aren't you afraid to be tainted by the mudblood germs?" she asked as she stared at him in disbelief. She also was trying to buy time until she figured out how she was going to get away from him.

"No Granger, my dick can't tell the difference. Come on, I'm over that pureblood superiority crap. I've been thinking about fucking you since this term started. I think you're hot and I want what you've been giving Weaselbee," Draco said huskily and went to kiss her again.

"Ugh! I can't believe this, you guys are all alike! Is sex all you ever think about?" Hermione asked huffily.

"Only when I see you Granger. Come on, I'm not so bad," Draco replied softly as he grabbed her hand and placed it on his erection. "Can Weaselbee give you this?" he whispered in her ear and nibbled on it softly. Hermione gasped inwardly when she felt the outline of his erection; Malfoy felt huge! She couldn't believe what she'd gotten herself into. _Oh Merlin help me, I'm starting to like this,_ Hermione thought as Malfoy nuzzled her ear and began planting soft kisses on her neck.

Regaining a little bit of composure, Hermione made Malfoy look at her again. "Malfoy if we do this, are you going to forget about seeing Ginny and me? If I have sex with you, are you going to look the other way if you see us sneaking back in again?"

Malfoy gave her a look of disbelief. "You won't try to hex me?"

"No Malfoy, for some strange reason I'll go through with this. I've been trying to figure out something since this past summer. I want to know what the big deal about sex is. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I haven't been with Ron in months. We broke up at the beginning of the summer," Hermione replied, surprising her as she revealed this to Malfoy of all people. She couldn't help it; if his kisses made her weak in the knees, she was curious to know what it would feel like to go all the way with him.

Draco now gave her a shocked look as he ran his hands through his hair. "Wow I wasn't expecting that. Didn't you enjoy sex with Weaselbee, I mean Ron? Was he the only one you've ever been with?"

Hermione looked down. She couldn't look at Malfoy, talking about this made her emotional. She wondered if there was something wrong with her. "Yes Ron's the only guy I've ever slept with. It's not that I didn't enjoy it; it's just that it was over so quickly. After reading about sex and listening to my friends, I couldn't help thinking I was missing out on something."

Draco lifted her chin up to look at him. "You were missing out. Maybe I can show you what the big deal is." Suddenly he had a change of heart as he looked down at Granger. She looked as if she was about to cry. He couldn't go through with this. "What am I saying? Granger, I am such an arsehole expecting you to do this. Shit, I wanted to come back here to prove to everyone how much I've changed, but I keep going back to my old ways. Go back to your dorm. I'm sorry I put you through this, I won't tell anyone. You and Ginny's secret is safe."

Hermione now stared at him in disbelief. "You're letting me off the hook Malfoy? Thank you, thank you!" She hugged him and gave him what she thought was going to be a quick peck on the lips, but something stirred within Hermione. She kissed him softly and pulled his lower lip in mouth, sucking at it gently.

Draco groaned and pulled away from her. "Granger, what are you doing? You keep on kissing me like this, you aren't leaving this room."

Hermione looked at him and licked her lips. "I was hoping you'd say that." That was all it took. Draco pulled her to him and kissed her with all of the pent-up sexual frustration he'd been feeling for her. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers lightly touching his pale hair. He moved his lips down to her neck, kissing and sucking lightly. Draco moved back to her ear and nibbled it again, as she shivered.

"Granger you smell incredibly good. I could just eat you up, I just may do that," Draco said huskily and next thing Hermione knew, the back of her knees bumped against a soft, but solid surface. She looked behind her and saw that there was now a huge king-sized bed in the room. She smiled up at Draco as he lowered her onto it. Hermione scooted back so he could get on the bed with her. He positioned himself over her and grabbed her hands with his, kissing her deeply. He then pulled her up so that she was sitting and unzipped her dress. Draco pulled it down and gently put it aside. He took a deep breath as he looked at Hermione clad in a lacy black strapless bra and matching thong. _Ron Weasley is a fool to have let such an exquisite goddess slip away, _Draco thought as he lowered his head to nuzzle her breasts through the thin material.

Hermione moved to slip off her boots, but Draco stopped her. "Leave those on," he said with a mischievous grin. _Who knew Malfoy had a kinky streak, _Hermione thought. Her body was on fire; singing to the tune of Malfoy's hands and mouth. Draco undid the front closure of her bra in one smooth movement and cast it aside. He looked at Hermione with heavily lidded eyes and then he took one of her breasts in his mouth, sucking and lightly tugging at her nipple with his teeth. Hermione found herself gasping, her hand buried in his hair, and then they moved to undo the robe he was still wearing. Draco shrugged off his robe and let it fall the floor. He pulled away from her breasts and removed the T-shirt he was wearing. He brought Hermione close to him again, kissing her, reveling in the way their bare skin felt against each other. Draco was so desperate for her and it turned him on even more when he realized she wanted this as badly as he did.

Draco removed Hermione's thong with his teeth, his eyes on her the whole time. He placed them in the pocket of his pajama bottoms. The rest of his clothes soon were shed, their bodies were bare save for Hermione's boots. As Draco moved to position himself at her entrance, he looked down at Hermione as she looked at him, her chest heaving. He vowed never to forget how beautiful and wanton she looked at that exact moment, as she waited for him to claim her.

Hermione let out a cry as Draco plunged into her. As she adjusted to his huge girth, she began to move with him. He gave her a rough kiss and then buried his head in her neck, as he lightly bit down on her shoulder. He was hitting her clit and Hermione was experiencing sensations she'd never felt before. Unlike Ron's quick, short, clumsy thrusts, Malfoy's were smooth and deep.

Suddenly Draco pulled himself up and lifted Hermione's legs, still clad in the thigh-high boots and pulled them over his shoulders. He rammed into her as beads of sweat from his face fell onto hers. Hermione pushed herself up; loving the hard grip his hands held on her hips. She screamed as the first wave of orgasm hit her.

"That's it babe, let yourself go. Scream as loud as you want no one can hear us," Draco said in between thrusts. He held off as long as he could, but with the combination of Hermione coming and the feel of the black leather boots on his shoulders, it was all too much. Draco shot his hot, steaming load of cum into her, coating her inner walls with his essence. He shouted out her name as he collapsed on top of her.

Breathing heavily, Draco kissed Hermione and slowly rolled off of her. They rested beside each other for a few moments, catching their breath. Hermione turned on her side and looked at Draco.

"Now I know what the big deal about sex is!"

Draco grinned and pulled her to him, kissing her again. "Glad I could help you figure it out. Grang-I mean Hermione, this was pretty damn incredible. Who would've thought you and I would have such amazing chemistry?"

"I guess we can be on a first-name basis now," Hermione giggled. She sat up and got off of the bed, picking up her clothes. She frowned because she couldn't find her thong. Looking under the bed, she didn't see it there either. She stood up and was about to put her bra on, when Draco stopped her.

"Wait, just stay there for a few seconds. You look so freaking beautiful in this light Hermione. Come back to bed," Draco said seductively.

"As much as I'd like to, I better get back to my dorm. Ginny is probably climbing the walls wondering what happened to me!" Hermione said lightly as she put on her bra, but was blushing at Draco's comment.

Draco loved that about Hermione. After what they had just done, she still blushed when he told her she was beautiful. He got off of the bed and began to find his clothes. As he pulled on his boxers and pajama bottoms, he remembered he had Hermione's thong in his pocket. No way was she getting them back; that was his keepsake to remind him of the thrilling experience he just shared with her. He had no idea if they were ever going to do this again.

"Draco, did you see my underwear? I can't seem to find it," Hermione said as she scanned the room.

"I don't see them. Look maybe we should just return to our dorms. I'll come back later and see if I can find them," Draco lied smoothly.

Hermione sighed. "They were my favorite pair too. Well Draco, this was the last thing I expected to do, but I'm glad. I'm not going to lie, I'm still trying to wrap my head around what just took place, but you certainly showed me how good sex can be. Thanks again," she said as she reached up to give him a kiss. She found herself smiling as Draco pulled her against him and deepened the kiss. They slowly moved away from each other.

"We better get out of here, I'm about to throw you on the bed again," Draco smirked. They left the room and as they walked out of the corridor, Hermione turned to him.

"Thanks again for not turning Ginny and me in to McGonagall."

"You know what Hermione, I completely forgot about that. Maybe I'll see you around," Draco said lightly, but looked at her hopefully.

"Maybe so Draco," Hermione said and smiled. They walked back to their respective dorms, each lost in their own thoughts, still processing what had just occurred.

**As usual, another one shot stuck in my head. Hope you liked it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl?**

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing related to Harry Potter, just something from the dregs of my imagination!**

**This started out as a one shot, but what the heck, let's see where this goes. Thank you for the reviews and alerts!**

Hermione walked out of the room, a bit freaked out. She had never done anything so impulsive before! Not only was it her first one-night stand, but it was with Draco Malfoy of all people. She had no idea how she was going to explain her absence to Ginny or the fact that Draco didn't turn them in to Headmistress McGonagall. As she walked back to her dorm, Hermione could feel a cool draft between her legs, reminding her that she wasn't wearing panties. She had no idea what had become of her underwear.

Draco waited for a few minutes before leaving the concealed room. He wanted to give Hermione a head start so no one would get suspicious if they saw them together. He smiled and shook his head. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he would've fucked Hermione Granger and enjoyed it so much. Draco had been around and had his share of willing witches in his bed, but none of them came close to what he just experienced with Hermione. As he made his way back to his dorm, he fingered the lacy thong in his pocket, smiling as his mind replayed what had just occurred. Draco knew he was going to have to figure out a way to get Hermione back into bed with him. He couldn't just have her once.

Tiptoeing into her dorm, Hermione held her breath when she saw Ginny reclined on one of the sofas in the Common Room. She quietly began to breathe normally when she saw that Gin was fast asleep. Hermione quickly went to her room and took a quick shower. She changed into pajamas and went back to the Common Room to wake Ginny up.

"Gin, come to bed," Hermione said as she gently shook her friend awake.

"Mm, leave me alone mum! I'm awake," Ginny groaned and swatted Hermione's hands away.

"Gin! It's me, Hermione. Get up, I know that sofa can't be too comfortable," Hermione replied and pulled her up.

"Hey 'Mione! When did you get here? I went back for you and couldn't find you anywhere! What happened? Is it bad? What did McGonagall have to say?" Ginny asked, awake now and bombarding her with questions.

"Everything is fine. I was able to talk Malfoy out of it. He won't report us," Hermione replied, hoping that she wasn't blushing.

"How did you manage that? Malfoy looked pissed and determined; I can't believe he didn't report us. It was the perfect opportunity to have us expelled!" Ginny said and gave her friend an incredulous look.

Hermione had to think fast. She hated lying to Ginny, but there was no way her friend would understand if she told her she just had mind-blowing sex with Draco. "I agreed to write a few papers for him and he gave me his word that he wouldn't turn us in. Come on, let's get some sleep."

"I still can't even begin to understand how you pulled that off and I don't know if I would trust the word of Malfoy. I need to get some sleep, maybe I'm dreaming about all of this," Ginny chuckled.

Hermione smiled and escorted her friend to her room. Ginny plopped into her bed and promptly fell asleep. Hermione did a makeup removing charm, so Gin wouldn't look like a raccoon when she woke up. She removed Ginny's shoes and pulled the comforter over her friend, tucking her in like a mother would do for a child. She walked back to her room and slipped into her bed. It was a few minutes before she fell asleep and her last thought as her eyes closed was of the way Draco was looking at her when they were in the throes of ecstasy. This bothered Hermione; she had never thought about Ron that way even after she had lost her virginity to him. Draco Malfoy totally changed her outlook on sex. She wondered if there was going to be another encounter between them.

Ginny and Hermione stayed in the dorm for most of the day that Sunday, napping and catching up on assignments. When it was close to dinnertime, they decided to go down to the Great Hall. When they walked in Hermione stared straight ahead, not trusting herself to look towards Slytherin's table. She and Ginny sat amongst their fellow Gryffindors and served themselves. As they started to eat, Ginny spoke.

"Huh, I guess you're right about Malfoy making a deal with you. He isn't looking our way at all. I would've thought he would've been shooting daggers in our direction," she chuckled.

"Yeah, he told me he'd forget about the whole thing," Hermione said quietly as she looked towards the Slytherin table. At that precise moment, Draco looked up and locked eyes with her. He gave her a small smile and went back to his plate of food.

Ginny looked at Hermione, openmouthed. "What was that? Malfoy smiling at you? What else happened Hermione?" she asked so only Hermione could hear.

"Nothing happened Gin," Hermione said concentrating on her food and shifting in her seat.

"What's up with that goofy smile he just gave you?" Ginny asked, as her eyebrows rose.

"Gin keep it down! We just talked. Malfoy isn't as bad as I thought he was. Now could you please drop it? We'll talk about it later," Hermione replied in a low voice. She was afraid Ginny was going to figure it out, especially with Draco smiling at her. Hermione just couldn't bring herself to tell her the truth; that she had actually fucked Draco Malfoy and liked it.

Draco watched Hermione walk out of the Great Room with Ginny. He appreciated Hermione's outfit of jeans and an oversized pink cable knit sweater. _Hell, Hermione could've come to dinner dressed in a burlap sack and he would've had a boner because he knew what was underneath those loose clothes, _Draco thought. He now had to figure out a way to get her back in the bedroom. One never knew when an opportunity would present itself and this opportunity came in the form of Ginny Weasley.

Classes were uneventful for most of the week for which Draco was grateful. Hermione consumed his thoughts; he daydreamed about her often. He snuck looks at her, but she seemed to be avoiding him. It was Friday and as he was walking to the Great Hall for lunch, Ginny Weasley fell into step beside him. Draco looked at her with a wary expression, what did Weaselette want?

"Malfoy, I wanted to personally thank you for not turning us in the other night," Ginny said in low voice as she looked at Draco with a sincere expression.

"No problem Weasley, try not to let it happen again," Draco muttered.

"I also wanted to let you know that I can help Hermione with the papers she agreed to write for you," Ginny replied as they kept walking towards the Great Hall.

Draco stopped walking and turned towards Ginny. "What are you talking about?"

"Hermione told me that she was going to write a few papers for you so you wouldn't turn us in. I think it's only fair that I help her with them," Ginny answered but wondered why Draco looked so perplexed.

Draco quickly put two and two together. Hermione hadn't told her friend what really happened. "Oh right, those papers. I'll let you know, but since you're here, can you give a message to Granger for me?"

"Sure, what is it?" Ginny asked.

"Tell her to meet me in my dorm at 6:30 pm tonight. I have a paper to work on," Draco replied smoothly. _Thank you Weaselette for helping find a way to get Hermione alone._ He hoped this ploy would work.

"I'll let her know. Later Malfoy," Ginny said as she walked away from him.

"Thanks Weasley," Draco said and smirked.

Ginny smiled when she saw Hermione already seated at Gryffindor's table. She sat next to her friend and fixed a plate of food. Sipping on a goblet of pumpkin juice, she turned to Hermione.

"I just spoke to Malfoy about the papers you have to write for him. I told him that I'd be willing to work on that too since he caught both of us."

"Oh, um, okay that sounds good Gin. What did Malfoy have to say?" Hermione asked hesitantly, thinking that she now had a situation on her hands that was getting out of control.

"He asked me to give a message to you. He has a paper to work on tonight and he asked that you meet him in his dorm at 6:30 pm tonight," Ginny replied as she cut a piece of steak and popped it into her mouth.

Hermione nodded; she knew exactly what Draco was up to, but thankfully it didn't seem like Ginny had caught on. "Right, well I guess I'll face the music and meet him tonight. Hopefully he won't have too many papers to be written."

Ginny snorted and laughed. "Hermione, we are talking about Malfoy here. We'll probably be doing all of his homework until the end of the school year."

Hermione sighed inwardly. She felt a slight feeling of dread tinged with anticipation forming in the pit of her stomach. Draco wanted her to meet him tonight; she knew exactly what he wanted. The crazy part was that she was actually looking forward to seeing him and was curious to know if the chemistry between them was still going to be as hot as it was the other night. Hermione glanced briefly towards the Slytherin's table and caught Draco's eye. He smirked and turned to speak to the student seated next to him. Oh yeah, Draco Malfoy knew what he was doing.

When she was done with her classes, Hermione returned to her dorm. She completed her assignments that were due so that her weekend would be homework free. She checked the time and when she saw that it was 5:30 pm, she decided to take a quick shower before going to meet Draco. When she was done, she dried off and applied apple scented lotion, which kept her skin smooth. Hermione changed into a T-shirt and a pair of sweat bottoms with trainers. She didn't want to make too much of an effort to look nice, Ginny would notice immediately. When she checked the time again, it was about 10 minutes to 6:30 pm, so she headed out. On the way out she met up with Ginny in the common room of their dorm.

"Poor you, I guess you're going work on that paper? Let me know if I can help with anything," Ginny said and gave her a sympathetic look.

Hermione truly felt like a horrible friend for lying to Ginny, but she knew she couldn't even begin to explain to her friend what had transpired between her and Draco. "Yes, I'll be over there. I hope I can be quick about it. Let me get this over it."

Ginny nodded and smiled as she waved to Hermione. She watched her friend leave the dorm and then went back to her Ancient Runes homework. Hermione was such a great friend, writing Malfoy's papers to keep them out of trouble.

Draco paced nervously around his dorm. It was now 6:25 pm and he couldn't wait for Hermione to arrive. He was grateful that he had his own dorm; no one would be able to interrupt them. He wanted this evening to be perfect. Draco was anxious to see if he and Hermione would have the same interaction as the other night. He had changed outfits a few times, going from a button-down shirt and slacks, finally settling on a T-shirt and jeans. After the war, Draco had become quite fond of muggle clothing, especially Levis. As he waited he realized that Hermione didn't know his password. He stepped out of the dorm room and waited for her outside.

Hermione walked towards Draco's dorm room and as she turned the corner leading to it, she saw him waiting in the hall. _It should be against the law for a guy to look that damn good in a pair of Levis, _Hermione thought as she walked towards him. Draco smirked when he saw her.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to come or not."

"I came to talk to you about what Ginny discussed with you. I made the whole 'writing papers' thing up so she wouldn't suspect anything. I don't think she'd understand if I told her what we were really doing," Hermione said.

"Right, I was confused when she approached me about that. Do you want to come in and we could discuss how we'll handle this?" Draco asked as he looked her over. He admired how her snug T-shirt hugged her curves and the way her arse looked in the sweatpants. Hermione also smelled incredibly good too.

"Okay, we can do that," Hermione answered against her better judgment. Something told her that she was the prey walking into the lair of a predator. She saw the way Draco was looking at her, like she was something to eat.

Draco put his hand on the small of her back and led her to the entrance of his dorm room. He uttered the password and watched as she entered his room. He fought the urge to press himself against her and grind his erection into her alluring derriere. Draco didn't know what was coming over him; he was always the cool one and in control. He had never felt such a strong longing for a female. Hermione woke something up in him, something animalistic.

_I wanna fuck you like an animal _

_I wanna feel you from the inside _

_I wanna fuck you like an animal _

_My whole existence is flawed-"Closer" by Nine Inch Nails_

Hermione stood in the middle of the common room and looked around. She walked over to a chair near the sofa and sat. She looked at Draco and he was looking at her strangely. His eyes had darkened and Hermione was beginning to feel a bit apprehensive. Maybe coming to his dorm wasn't such a good idea.

Draco noticed that Hermione looked nervous and he felt terrible for the thoughts that were going through his head, but he honestly was having trouble controlling himself when she was so damn close. He decided that he needed to get away from her for a few moments, so he could regain control of his thoughts.

"Can I get you anything to drink? I have water or pumpkin juice," Draco asked.

"Water will be fine thanks," Hermione answered and felt less anxious since Draco now was acting normal.

"I'll be right back," Draco said and walked to the small kitchen area of his dorm. He returned with two bottles of water and handed one to Hermione. He took a seat on the sofa so he was facing Hermione.

"So, how do you want to handle this since Weasley thinks you're doing assignments for me?"

"I don't know. Maybe I can tell her I'm meeting you at the library and just leave it at that. Another thing, you can't just start smiling at me. Gin immediately suspected something when you smiled at me the other day in the cafeteria," Hermione said and gave him a stern look.

"For Merlin's sake Hermione, I didn't think smiling at you would be a big deal considering what we've shared," Draco replied sarcastically.

"Draco everyone knows you and I are like oil and water-we don't mix! I have no idea what happened between us the other night, but I've accepted that it's a one-time deal. I had a few drinks that night and it was probably the alcohol affecting my behavior," Hermione said quickly.

"Cut the crap Hermione, you wanted it as much as I did. You weren't that intoxicated. Why don't we try it again and see how it all plays out?" Draco asked, smirking as he moved closer to her.

"No Draco. I'm going back to my dorm. I'll let Ginny believe whatever she wants. We can't do this," Hermione said as she stood up and started walking to the door.

Draco was quicker than she was and blocked the door. "Please Hermione. I need to know if this was a fluke. I'm not going to lie to you; I can't get that night out of my mind. I have to know if it would be the same experience. Let go of your inhibitions and let's see what happens."

"Draco," Hermione began to say but before she could finish, he pulled her to him and kissed her. That was all it took; Hermione melted in his arms and kissed him back. _Shit, shit I'm not supposed to be doing this, I need to stop it now. Oh dang that feels good, Draco smells so damn good, _were the thoughts running through Hermione's head and she could've kicked herself. _Fuck it, let me take Draco's advice and see where this goes. Merlin why does he have to so sexy and be such a good kisser?_

Draco groaned as he felt Hermione give in to him. This was so much more than he expected. _She truly has no idea of how incredibly sexy she is, _Draco thought as he pulled her closer to him, inhaling her amazing scent. She was all he thought about that past week and now he had her in his arms again. He led her back to the sofa, gently pushing her down and he positioned himself above her.

Hermione pulled him to her, wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him and gently nibbling on his bottom lip. Draco grinned and moved to kiss her neck and proceeded to leave a passion mark.

"Damn it Draco, why did you do that? Everyone is going to wonder who gave that to me!" Hermione fussed, but was looking at him with lust in her eyes.

"Who cares? Tell them I did it," Draco said softly and began kissing her again.

Hermione quickly forgot about this and returned his kisses. She pulled his T-shirt over his head so she could admire his well-defined stomach muscles. Draco was lean, but not skinny. He was just right as far as she was concerned. He shuddered with pleasure as she ran her hands over his chest. They looked into each other's eyes, steady brown meeting stormy grey, as Draco removed Hermione's snug T-shirt, smirking because she wasn't wearing a bra. He dipped his head and went to work on her breasts; he'd thought of them often this past week. _So glad to be doing this again_ he thought as he took one of her small, but perfectly-sized breasts in his mouth. Hermione gave a soft moan as he moved from one breast to the other, looking down at him, as she tried to control her breathing. Draco loved the way she wove her hands through his hair. After giving her breasts his utmost attention, he moved down and began planting small kisses on her tummy, stopping at her bellybutton. He gave her a mischievous look and proceeded to give her a raspberry. Hermione squealed and giggled as she tried to push him away, but he held on tightly. Draco laughed as he looked up at her and then down at her bellybutton.

"Good Godric Draco, first my neck, now my bellybutton, you git!" Hermione exclaimed as she playfully slapped him.

He only smiled and continued to move down her body as Hermione watched, wondering what he was up to. She didn't have to wait long as Draco rose up and began removing her sweatpants along with her panties. It was as if she was in a trance, letting him do whatever he wanted, she couldn't wait to have his hands on her again. Draco's breath caught as she lifted her hips to allow him better access to remove her clothes. _Good-she wants it as much as I do,_ he thought. He cast her clothing on the floor and turned his attention to her body again. He grabbed her legs and pulled her to him. He lifted her right leg, kissing and licking the calf, and then moved up to her inner thigh. Hermione was breathing heavily; all she could do was watch him. _This is so erotic, _she thought, _I'm so turned on! _Draco kept his eyes on hers as he made his way to her crotch. Hermione's breath caught, realizing what he was going to do. No man had ever touched her with his mouth down there. He inserted his right index finger inside of her and felt how aroused she was. His dick hardened more if that was even possible; he was so turned on by her response.

"Draco, I want you so badly. I want to feel you inside of me," Hermione heard herself saying, not quite believing that she was begging Draco Malfoy to make love to her. At this point, she didn't care. He had her so turned on; all she could think about was him ramming her with his huge cock.

"I want you too baby, but I want to do something first," Draco replied huskily and without warning, grabbed her hips with both hands, plunging his tongue into her warmth, lightly sucking on her clit and licking up her sweet juice.

Hermione threw her head back, shrieking with shock and delight. Gin had told her Harry had done this to her and described how good it felt, but Hermione could never have imagined it would've felt this damn good. She found herself pushing against Draco's tongue movements, unfamiliar, but quite spectacular sensations flowing through her whole body. _Wow, Gin wasn't exaggerating, _was one of the many thought running through her head and the fact that at that moment, she would've done anything Draco would've asked of her as long as he didn't stop what he was doing to her.

Draco smiled to himself as he felt her squirming against his mouth. He had her right where he wanted her. He abruptly stopped his motions and lifted his head. Hermione gave him a disappointed look as she caught her breath.

"Why the hell did you stop? I was almost there," Hermione panted.

"Because I wanted to do this," Draco said softly and pulled her up so he could kiss her hard, plunging his tongue into her mouth, letting her taste herself. Hermione was a little taken aback by this, but recovered quickly. Her hands moved down to Draco's jeans and she began to unbutton and unzip them. He sat up and finished removing the jeans along with his underwear. When he had cast his clothing aside, he pulled Hermione onto his lap.

"Let's start with you on top, I want to bury my face in your tits again," Draco said as he licked his lips, still tasting her.

"I've never done it like this before," Hermione replied, blushing prettily.

Draco kissed her, "I'll guide you, come on trust me, it'll feel good." She had no idea how freaking adorable she was when she blushed nor what she was doing to him. It still got Draco that she could actually blush after all they had done together. She straddled him and let him put her into the position he wanted. He slowly moved her over his cock and she took him in a little bit at a time.

"Is this okay? We can stop anytime you want," Draco asked her softly, watching her with a concerned look.

"I'm good, do you want me to do it like this?" Hermione asked, as she started to move her hips, taking all of him in and then slowly moving back up, repeating her movements.

"That's perfect love, yeah keep doing it just like that," Draco replied, his breath a little shaky. _Merlin, she's a quick study._

Draco pulled her close to him and started lavishing attention on her breasts. This was truly one of the most amazing sexual experiences of his young life. His face in Hermione's tits and his dick buried deep inside of her was beyond his expectations.

Hermione had her arms wrapped around his neck and watched as he fondled her breasts with his mouth. His strong hands moved her hips up and down, they started to move faster. Draco moved one hand from her hip and began to stroke her clit with his thumb, never breaking their rhythm. He watched her, loving how she was so turned on with what he was doing to her. Her eyes were closed and her breath was coming out in little gasps, he knew she was close. Hermione threw her head back and then came back up, looking at him as she bit her lip to stifle a moan, but it still managed to come out. She began to tremble and screamed out his name as she had the most intense orgasm ever. At that moment, Draco pulled her off of his lap and threw her on the sofa. She looked at him, wondering if she had done something wrong, but he only wanted to get on top of her. Hermione opened her legs as he positioned himself between them. Draco groaned as he plunged into her heat, fucking her with hard thrusts. He couldn't get enough of her and was even more turned on when he felt her legs wrap around his waist.

_I wanna fuck you like an animal _

_I wanna feel you from the inside _

_I wanna fuck you like an animal _

Hermione wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked at her intensely. He kissed her hand as she moved it away. She watched as his expression changed, his eyes closed in concentration, breath coming out in gasps. When Draco came, she could feel it shooting way up inside of her. His eyes shot open and he cried her name as he collapsed on top of her, burying his face in her neck.

Neither one imagined that they could have had a more intense sexual experience than the one they had shared the weekend before, but they did. As they caught their breath, Hermione lightly stroked Draco's back. He nuzzled her neck and moved so that he was facing her. He kissed her lightly on the lips and then sat up, pulling her up with him.

"How was that? Are you glad I convinced you not to leave?" Draco asked, smirking a little, but not in his usual cocky manner, it was more lighthearted.

"Yes, that was pretty damn amazing," Hermione grinned and kissed him back.

Draco deepened the kiss and stood up, taking her with him. He started to walk away from the sofa. Hermione pulled back and looked at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking you to my bedroom, it'll be more comfortable," Draco replied as he pushed open his bedroom door.

"What makes you think I wanted to go to your bedroom, maybe I was ready to go back to my dorm," Hermione said playfully.

Draco only grinned as he threw her onto his bed and jumped on top of her as she giggled. They kissed for a few minutes, and then Draco, hard and ready to go for another round, entered her again. This time they made love slowly, really getting to know every inch of each other's body, savoring every moment. Draco didn't want this evening to end nor did Hermione.

Hermione had no intention of spending the night with Draco, but that was what she did. She woke up the next morning and gave a start when she saw that it was 8:00 a.m. She had no idea how she was going to explain this one to Ginny. At that moment, Draco woke up and gave her a sleepy smile.

"Good morning beautiful," he said as he opened his arms.

"Good morning to you," Hermione smiled back and fell into his arms. Draco pulled her close and kissed her. All thoughts about what she was going to tell Ginny slipped away as he began to make love to her again.

**I decided to add another chapter to this one shot. I think I'm going to keep on, I like the chemistry between Dramione in this one. Hermione likes being with Draco, but she is still in that mode of this is her last year of school, she doesn't want to be tied down, and she wants to have fun. Draco is going to have a problem with this.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing related to Harry Potter, simply my interpretation of what could've and should've happened with Draco and Hermione!**

**As always, thank you so much for the awesome reviews and alerts. **

_Every morning should be like this, _thought Draco as he watched Hermione writhing in ecstasy beneath him. He still couldn't believe she had actually spent the night with him! His last year at Hogwarts was getting more and more incredible. Who would've thought Hermione Granger would be sharing his bed?

Hermione had her arms wrapped around Draco's neck and her legs around his waist. Her hips moved, matching his thrusts. She had her eyes closed, concentrating because she was so damn close to another orgasm. Draco watched her and moved down to kiss her. At that moment, she came and kissed him back, as her inner walls clenched and squeezed his dick. He let out a guttural groan as his release came soon after.

Draco was catching his breath after this intense experience when Hermione slipped out of his bed. He watched her, wondering if she was going to the bathroom. He wasn't ready for her to go.

"Hey, where are you going?" he asked softly.

"Draco this has been incredible, but I really need to get back to my dorm," Hermione replied as she Accio'd her clothing from the common room. Draco pulled a pair of boxer shorts from a bureau near his bed. He quickly slipped the underwear on.

He rose from the bed and walked behind her, pulling her against his chest and kissing her hair. "You don't have to go, spend the day with me. We can go to Hogsmeade, maybe get some lunch."

"You're so funny! Can you imagine the look on everyone's faces if we were together in Hogsmeade? Sure we just had sex, but that doesn't make us a couple. This works out well; I don't want to be committed to anyone and I'm pretty sure you don't either. For Merlin's sake we're only eighteen years old!" Hermione answered in a lighthearted manner, but a part of her wondered if he was serious when she noticed what looked like disappointment on his face, but then he quickly changed his expression. She hated to admit it, but there definitely was a strong connection between her and Draco. The problem was that Hermione wasn't sure if she was ready to take on a relationship with someone who was her sworn enemy not that long ago. Actually, she wasn't sure if she wanted a relationship with anyone.

If Draco had heard this from any other witch, he would've been thrilled. Most of those stupid girls thought that once he slept with her, she was automatically his girlfriend. Draco had burst many witches' bubbles of hope, but this was different. He wanted Hermione to be with him and only him. What did she mean about their age? Most wizarding marriages took place at age eighteen or only a few years later. Was she one of those modern muggle women, who wanted to have it all but not be tied down to only one man? It freaked him out that Hermione seemed to have the same thought process as most guys their age! Women weren't supposed to think like that. This frustrated him because this was only the second time he'd been with Hermione. How could he have such strong feelings for someone he detested not so long ago?

Draco decided to play it cool and go along with her. "Yeah you're right, what was I thinking? Did you have plans?" he asked casually, but was really wondering if she was going to sneak out again with Ginny Weasley.

"I promised Gin I would go to Hogsmeade with her. I think she needs new quills or something. We'll probably look at robes and other boring girls stuff. What're you planning on doing this weekend?" Hermione asked. Draco Malfoy did not need to know that she and Gin were planning on sneaking out again. Hermione was meeting friends she used to work with at Mesmerize. They were going to see some American muggle in concert. Ginny was planning to meet Harry and spend a few hours with him, i.e. fuck like rabbits.

"I might go to Hogsmeade too and then I'll probably catch up on a few assignments. Someone was supposed to help me with a paper if I recall correctly," Draco said suggestively and playfully swatted her buttocks.

Hermione laughed and jumped away from him. "I wonder who that could be."

"You little minx," Draco replied and grabbed her. He pulled her to him and kissed her. "Do you have to go right this minute? We can take a shower."

Hermione giggled and pulled away from him. "Yes I need to go. If you and I take a shower together, Merlin knows how much longer I'll be here!"

Draco walked with her to the common room. Hermione looked in the mirror that was placed on the wall near the door and gasped.

"I had forgotten you put this on my neck you git!" she exclaimed as she examined the huge love bite Draco had given her the night before. She thought for a few moments and then uttered a concealment charm. She let out a sigh of relief when she watched it fade away. The only problem with the charm was that it only lasted for a few hours. She'd have to remember that.

"I'm sorry, I just got caught up in the moment," Draco snickered. He loved that he left his mark on her. _I want everyone to know you're mine and hands off,_ he wanted to tell her, but something told him Hermione wasn't ready to hear this. Draco had the feeling that she liked having sex with him, but that was it. This didn't sit well with Draco; he wanted more from her but he didn't want to scare her off. He'd have to play it cool.

"No worries, I'll just have to remember to keep doing the concealment charm until it fades away. I really have to go. Thank you for a lovely evening and morning," Hermione giggled as she gave him a quick kiss and then left, waving as she walked quickly to her dorm.

Draco watched her walk away and hated the pit of longing and loneliness that began to form inside of him. No other witch had ever affected him this way, why Hermione Granger?

Hermione braced herself as she walked into Gryffindor's common room. As soon as she walked in, Ginny was curled up in a chair near the fireplace, thumbing through a fashion magazine. She looked up when Hermione entered the room.

"Good morning or good afternoon I should say. Wow, I didn't realize it was after 12 pm. Did you fall asleep in the library again?"

"Something like that," Hermione answered, not really lying to her friend, but definitely far from the truth.

"Hermione, you need to stop doing that. Resting your head on those hard tables can't be good for the complexion. Come on, you look like you could use a good shower and then a nap. We have quite a night ahead of us," Ginny said and grinned.

"Yes ma'am I'll get right to it," Hermione smiled and headed towards her room, but Ginny stopped her.

"You know Hermione; if I didn't know better I'd think you're having some secret rendezvous. You would tell me right?" Ginny asked and gave her a searching look.

"Of course I would, there's nothing to tell," Hermione's smile frozen on her face. Ginny suspected something.

"Did Malfoy give you trouble about his paper? I would imagine he's one picky bastard," Ginny asked, changing the subject.

Hermione shook her head. "It didn't take long to work on his paper. It really wasn't that bad." She so wanted to tell Ginny about the time she shared with Draco, but there was no way her friend would understand. Hermione didn't want to have to hear a lecture about how Malfoy was probably just using her and only wanted one thing.

"That's good to hear. Go on and get your butt in gear. I can't wait to see Harry tonight," Ginny replied with a dreamy smile.

"Yeah I just bet I know why you can't wait to see him," Hermione said and giggled as she walked out of the common room.

Ginny laughed and stuck her tongue out at Hermione. She shook her head and returned to reading her magazine, but couldn't concentrate on it. Putting the magazine aside, Ginny thought about her friend. She decided to go back to her room to start getting ready for that evening. Ginny hated thinking that Hermione was lying about her whereabouts from the night before, but something was telling her Hermione was hiding something from her. She sighed and stood up from the chair, heading back to her room. She figured Hermione had her reasons but why did she feel she couldn't tell her best friend?

Hermione felt refreshed after showering and washing her hair. When she dried off and looked at herself in the full-length mirror in her bathroom, she ran her hands over the marks Draco had left on her. A shiver ran through her body as she recalled being with him. He made her feel so good; Hermione had no idea sex could be so pleasurable. She kept thinking about how she was sure she saw a look of disappointment on his face when she laughed at his suggestion of spending the day together. She was probably only imagining things, Hermione thought as she rolled her eyes at her reflection in the mirror.

She decided on a cheetah print knit dress that clung to her curves and was mid-thigh length, accentuating her legs by making them look longer. Hermione paired this with a pair of matching platform shoes. She decided to wear hair down, letting it fall in smooth waves down her back. Her makeup was usually light but for tonight's events she decided to play up her eyes and mouth. Ginny had found an article in one of her numerous fashion magazines that showed how to make your eyes and lips stand out. She had taped the article to the mirror of the vanity in Hermione's room with a note stating, "DO THIS! IT WILL LOOK GREAT ON YOU!" Hermione always trusted Gin's instincts on makeup and clothes, and after she applied the makeup she was not disappointed. Hermione looked back at the alluring woman staring back at her and blinked a few times. Amazing what a little bit of eyeliner and lipstick could do!

Hermione made her way to Ginny's room, clearing her throat as she struck a pose at the entrance, jutting out one hip and pursing her lips. She straightened up when she got Ginny's attention and laughed.

"Hermione, you look incredible! You're going to have to beat the guys off with a stick tonight, that dress really suits you!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Thanks Gin. I can say the same for you. I wonder if you and Harry will even make it to dinner when he sees you tonight," Hermione replied as she admired Ginny's dress. Ginny had chosen to wear a fitted light-blue mini-dress that complemented her light complexion. She paired the dress with silver stiletto heels. Harry was going to lose his mind. Her makeup was similar to Hermione's.

"Shall we make our escape?" Ginny asked mischievously as she pulled on her school robe.

"Ready when you are," Hermione answered, giggling as she also put on her school robe. They definitely didn't want to arouse any fellow Gryffindor's suspicions if they saw them dressed up to go out.

The two young women kept their heads down and walked out of their dorm. They practically ran as fast as they could in their impractical shoes to the hidden floo network. _It's so fun being bad and breaking rules, _Hermione thought. As she and Ginny left Hogwarts, she couldn't help thinking about Draco and feeling a little guilty that she didn't tell him that she was going out for the evening. She put this thought out of her mind when she and Ginny arrived in London. Harry was waiting for Ginny in Diagon Alley. He stepped back and whistled when the girls removed their robes.

"Whoa! How did you two manage to sneak out of Hogwarts looking like that?" Harry asked, his eyes roaming over every curve of Ginny's body. He had glanced at Hermione and thought she looked hot too, but he knew Hermione would hex him if he checked her out.

"We left quickly and made sure we wore our robes. No one really noticed; most of our classmates were at Hogsmeade," Hermione as she performed a shrinking spell on her robe and tossed it in her handbag.

Ginny did the same thing to her robe. She suddenly needed to pee and excused herself to go to the nearest ladies room. Harry turned to Hermione.

"You're looking smashing tonight. Where're you off to? Wait a second, is that what I think it is? Merlin, who's been sucking on your neck 'Mione?" Harry asked, snickering.

"Shit, the concealment charm wore off," Hermione muttered. She quickly performed the charm again and Draco's love bite disappeared.

"Well, I'm waiting. Who's the lucky bloke?" Harry asked again, chuckling and shaking his head. "I never thought I'd see the day, Hermione Granger with a love bite!"

"Would you stop? I don't kiss and tell okay? Gin doesn't know and I want to keep it that way, at least for now," Hermione sighed.

"Sheesh, I was only joking Hermione. I won't say anything. It's just strange to see you with a love bite and from the looks of that mark, he wanted to make sure everyone noticed it. I can't help it Hermione, I have to know who it is," Harry insisted, as he continued to laugh.

"Shut up you git! Ginny's on her way back. I'll tell you when I'm ready. Let's just say that I'm testing the waters with this guy," Hermione said quietly.

"Huh, looks like he passed the test," Harry snickered again as Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. "Ouch! Okay I'll stop with the smart arse remarks."

Ginny walked up a few moments later, looking at Harry and then at Hermione. "What's so funny?"

"Harry was just telling me a story funny about something that happened at work, weren't you Harry?" Hermione asked and gave Harry a small smile but her eyes were saying "I will destroy you if you say anything."

"Yeah, we were laughing about that. Are you ready to go to dinner my lovely?" Harry asked as he took Ginny's arm.

"Yes, I am kind sir. Hermione, I'll meet you back here at about 1:45 a.m. Have fun at the concert!" Ginny said.

"I will. You and Harry have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Hermione said good-naturedly as she turned to leave.

"I'll try not to leave any marks," Harry couldn't resist throwing that in as Hermione gave him another murderous look, but then shook her head and had to laugh.

Ginny gave them quizzical looks and decided it must be some private joke. She was used to this interaction between Harry, Hermione, and Ron, so it didn't bother her.

Hermione left Diagon Alley and hailed a taxi. It didn't take long for one to pull up to the curb. When she stepped in the taxi she gave the driver directions to the arena where she was meeting her friends. Hermione sat back and sighed as the taxi pulled away and merged into traffic. She thought about the close call with Harry. Like Ginny, he would freak if he knew she was sleeping with Draco Malfoy.

Draco was livid. He had decided to take a chance and go to Gryffindor's dorm to see if Hermione wanted to take a walk with him. He was going to make up some lame excuse about the Headmistress needing to see her. When he was approaching the entrance however, he saw Ginny and Hermione leaving. His heart gave a little leap and he was about to call out to Hermione, but something stopped him. He stood back and watched as the two young women looked both ways, to make sure no one saw them, and started to run in the direction of the hidden floo network. He knew that was what they were up to when he saw the impractical shoes peeking out from under their robes. He couldn't believe it, they were sneaking out again. Draco kept his distance and followed them, watching as Hermione conjured the hidden floo so she and Ginny could head to London. He walked back to his dorm, brooding about where Hermione was heading and who was she going to see. The sensible part of Draco knew he was being irrational; he and Hermione weren't an item. But the passionate and dark side of him was upset. Hermione was his and he didn't like being played for a fool.

"Glad you could make it! Come on, the show is about to start. Here's your ticket and backstage pass. This is going to be one of the best concerts ever. I freaking love Katy Perry," Drea exclaimed when she saw Hermione. Drea was only a few years older than Hermione and they had become good friends this past summer. The young woman worked as an administrative assistant to the chief financial officer. She was always getting great tickets for wizarding and muggle concerts.

"Awesome, I can't wait to hear "California Gurls," Hermione shrieked. She along with Drea and a few other former coworkers headed to the entrance, presented their tickets and entered the arena. The show was incredible and Hermione never sat down once, dancing and singing along the whole time. _This was so much fun; it's worth sneaking out of Hogwarts! _She thought. She and her friends went backstage and were able to meet Katy Perry. Katy even told Hermione she loved her dress, she couldn't wait to tell Gin about that! The concert ended at about 10:30 pm, so she headed to a dance club with her friends. When Hermione noticed it was close to 1:30 am, she bid her friends goodbye and headed back to Diagon Alley. Before she left the club, she went into the ladies room to make sure the concealment charm was still working. Thankfully it was.

She arrived at approximately 1:44 am and was glad to see Ginny was waiting with Harry. Hermione rolled her eyes as she waited for Ginny and Harry to finish making out. When they were finally done, Hermione grabbed Ginny's hand, kissed Harry's cheek, and they flooed back to Hogwarts. When they arrived, they quickly got their robes out and slipped them back on. They looked around the corridor and the coast was clear. Gin and Hermione giggled quietly as they made their way back to their dorm without getting caught. When they arrived, they went to Ginny's room. Hermione started to tell her about the concert, but she noticed that Ginny looked really tired.

"Gin, I'm sorry I'm keeping you up. I can't help it; I'm so pumped, this concert was so much fun. You really need to come next time I'm able to get tickets!"

"I'm sorry too Hermione, but Harry wore me out! It was as if he couldn't get enough of me tonight," Ginny giggled as she slipped off her dress and changed into pajamas. She and Hermione talked for a few more minutes as she washed off her makeup and brushed her teeth.

"I'll see you in the morning. I'm glad you and Harry had a good time," Hermione said softly and smiled as Ginny snuggled into her bed and gave her a sleepy smile. She tiptoed out of Ginny's room and closed the door.

Hermione walked into her room and lightly shut the door. Flinging off her school robe, she started singing a few bars of Katy Perry's song "Firework," and she danced around the room. She kicked off her shoes and pulled off the dress. She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and clean her face. When she was done, Hermione changed into a nightgown and climbed into her bed. She tossed and turned a few times, but couldn't get to sleep; she was still pumped from the concert. Deciding that reading might make her sleepy, she picked up a muggle novel on her bedside table. Losing interest after only 5 pages, Hermione put the book aside. She sighed and her thoughts drifted to Draco. Thinking about everything she had shared with him brought a smile to her face and a fluttery feeling in her stomach. As she finally drifted off to sleep, another thought cropped up. She actually felt a little guilty for not telling Draco about sneaking out again. _Ugh! Why am I feeling like this,_ she thought. This was her year to have fun; why did Draco Malfoy have to complicate matters?

Draco watched, shaking his head as Ginny and Hermione snuck back into Gryffindor's dorm at almost 2 a.m. Part of him wanted to run up to Hermione and confront her, but he held back from doing so. Sure he could've gotten both young women in a heap of trouble for sneaking out, but he knew that would ruin any chance he had with Hermione. Draco had an unfamiliar feeling as he walked back to his dorm, his heart ached. He couldn't stop wondering about where Hermione had snuck off to; was she meeting another guy? This was unfamiliar territory for him, he never pined for a witch, it was always the other way around-witches pined for him. What the hell was Hermione Granger doing to him?

Sunday was uneventful, Ginny and Hermione slept in and didn't wake up until about 10 am. The young women dressed in jeans and T-shirts to make their way to the Great Hall for an early lunch. Ginny had quidditch practice that afternoon and Hermione was going to go with her to watch. It was a beautiful autumn day. There was a cool breeze, but the sun was shining brightly.

After lunch they walked over to the quidditch pitch. Ginny walked over to her teammates and Hermione took a seat in the bleachers. She took a look around and wanted to roll her eyes. The bleachers were filled with girls chattering. It was the "quidditch chicks." They were there to watch their boyfriends or a boy they were interested in. Hermione had never been one of those girls. Sure she'd come in the past to cheer on Harry and Ron when they were part of the team, but that was the extent of it. Hermione took her book out and started to read when she was interrupted by one of the girls tapping her shoulder.

"Hey Hermione! I've never seen you here before, are you dating one of the players?" asked Nadine Ruder, a fifth-year Gryffindor. Hermione didn't like or dislike the young girl, she just thought that she was incredibly nosy.

"No Nadine, I just walked here with Ginny. It's such a nice day, I thought it would be nice to hang out here and enjoy it," Hermione replied with a small smile and went back to her book.

"Oh that's nice. You've been friends for a long time. I'm here because Todd Blackmore asked me to come by to watch. We've been dating since school started," Nadine said proudly. Todd Blackmore was another fifth-year Gryffindor.

"That's great. Todd's a nice guy," Hermione replied, trying to get back to her book. She didn't want to be rude to Nadine, but the younger girl was such a chatterbox and she was starting to grate on Hermione's nerves. Her nerves were spared when Nadine spotted one of her friends, Patricia Ellison, a sixth-year Hufflepuff. The girls started to speak excitedly to each other and Hermione was tuning them out, until something Patricia said caught her attention.

"I can't wait to see Draco! He's so dreamy. Do you think he'll notice me today?" Patricia asked wistfully.

"You look terrific, he'd be a fool not to notice how cute you look today," Nadine replied excitedly.

Hermione looked up from her book and at the quidditch field. Indeed the Slytherin team was there; they were having an impromptu practice with Gryffindor's team. This was a common practice, but Hermione wasn't aware of it since she seldom made her way to these practice sessions. As she looked up, her eyes met Draco's. He looked away and took off on his broom, shouting directions to his teammates.

Draco had seen Hermione when she walked to the quidditch pitch with Weasley. His heart had beat faster when he saw her take a seat in the bleachers. When their eyes met, he fought the urge to go to the bleachers and take her away with him. He looked towards the Forbidden Forest, wondering what it would be like to take Hermione there and fuck her on the ground or maybe up against a tree. Damn it to hell, he needed to quit having these thoughts. He took another look at the stands. Hermione had her nose in a book. He groaned inwardly as that bint Patricia Ellison waved to him. He smirked at the girl and flew over to one of his teammates. Why wasn't Hermione that excited to see him? Draco thought Patricia was annoying as a Mandrake, but then a thought occurred to him. Maybe he could use Patricia's little crush on him to his advantage.

Ginny flew to her position and smiled when she saw Hermione sitting with the "quidditch chicks." As she looked towards the stands, she saw Hermione looking at someone and then going back to her book. Ginny followed the direction of Hermione's gaze and was quite shocked when it ended at Draco Malfoy. She watched as Draco took off on his broom, but he still kept glancing sideways towards Hermione. _What's up with that? _Ginny thought. She thought about how late Hermione had come in on Saturday morning and couldn't help wondering if Draco Malfoy had something to do with it.

The practice ended and Hermione was glad to leave the bleachers. The incessant chatter of the "quidditch chicks" was quite annoying. All they could talk about was if this one liked that one, who liked who more, it was endless nonsense. Hermione was shaking her head as she met up with Ginny, who was walking off of the quidditch field with her teammates.

"What?" Ginny asked with a grin.

"I love you to death Gin, but please don't ask me to be your "quidditch chick" again," Hermione said with a straight face and then burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry Hermione, was it that bad? I just thought it was such a gorgeous day," Ginny replied.

"It wasn't bad Gin, just annoying! I can't believe how silly some of those young girls are," Hermione said in a low voice, making sure the other girls were out of earshot.

"I know, but if you think that's annoying you should hear the bets the guys on the team make about them. I grew up with house full of boys and I'm still shocked by what comes out of my teammate's mouths sometimes!" Ginny said with a wry expression.

Hermione snorted and was about to reply when something caught her attention. She heard Patricia Ellison's annoying voice and then the younger girl was giggling.

"Draco, you were wonderful out there. You're the best one on the team!"

"Why thank you Patricia, I'm glad you enjoyed the practice. Maybe I'll see you around," Draco said, smirking as he winked at her.

Patricia fell into a fit of giggles and took off with Nadine towards the castle. The girls were talking excitedly and kept looking back at Draco.

Hermione watched this exchange and couldn't help the lurch she felt in her heart. Why should Draco flirting with Patricia bother her? She was the one who told Draco she didn't want a commitment, he was free to do what he wanted, just as she was. If he wanted to flirt with a stupid little girl, that was his business. Hermione's thoughts were interrupted when she heard Draco call out to her.

"Hey Granger, I need to speak to you about the paper that's due," Draco drawled as he walked towards her. His voice was cool, but his eyes were boring into her.

"Whatever Malfoy," Hermione replied as she regarded him coolly and kept walking with Ginny.

"I expect to see you in my dorm tonight at 7:30 pm." Draco said in a curt manner and continued walking to the castle.

"That jerk! I just knew he was going to take advantage by making you do all of his homework! Do you think he knows we snuck out last night?" Ginny asked quietly so only Hermione could hear.

"I don't know. I guess I'll find out later tonight," Hermione said in a resigned manner, but inside she couldn't help but feel excited and she actually felt wetness pooling in her panties. What was happening to her when just anticipating seeing Draco made her this aroused? Sexual attraction, that's all it was. This was all so new to her, that's why she was so hot and bothered. Deep down though, Hermione knew that wasn't the whole truth. It was more than sex, she was drawn to Draco Malfoy. She didn't like the feeling she had when Draco flirted with Patricia.

Hermione tried to put these thoughts out of her mind as she started to tell Ginny about the Katy Perry concert, but Draco kept popping back into her thoughts. As they walked back into the castle, Hermione thought about what she was getting herself into. She was a big girl, but she couldn't help thinking she was getting in over her head with Draco Malfoy.

**Let the games begin! Hope you enjoy this chapter. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing related to Harry Potter!**

_**Oh sugar I've been missing you.  
And I've been wondering, where it is you're hiding.  
I've been a ball of fire in your arms desire.  
And I've been wondering, where it is you're hiding.**_

What you get is what you seek.  
Desire.  
What you get is what you seek.  
Desire.-"Desire" by Gene Loves Jezebel

Ginny and Hermione walked back to their dorm. When they arrived at their rooms, Ginny went in to take a much needed shower. It had been a good practice; she had mud on her face and grass stains on her uniform. Hermione went to her room and plopped down into a chair near her bed, thinking about having to go to Draco's dorm in a few hours.

Draco tuned out the incessant chatter of Patricia and that annoying Gryffindor bint, Nadine. He had noticed the Hufflepuff girl making cow eyes at him in the last few weeks, but he'd chosen to ignore her. This all changed when he saw an opportunity to maybe make Hermione notice that he was a hot commodity around Hogwarts. Despite his nasty reputation from preceding years, witches kept coming on to him. Now there was only one witch who mattered and she didn't seem to care whether he paid attention to her or not!

Sorting out her books for the next day of classes, Hermione was making sure she had everything in order. She was definitely more laidback in her studying habits this school year, but she still managed to stay on top of her classes and made good grades. She didn't want to be too much of a slacker, no need to make the Headmistress suspicious. As she was doing this, she heard a tapping on her window. When she looked towards the sound, there was an unfamiliar owl there. Hermione opened the window, letting the owl in. She took the message from its beak and gave the bird a few treats. She couldn't resist rolling her eyes as she took in the scrawled but neat penmanship and the contents of the note:

_Hermione,_

_Here's the password to my dorm: Dragon Fire. Memorize it. You'll need it if you keep on sneaking out of Hogwarts like you and Weasley did last night. _

_D._

Hermione looked at it for a few seconds and then performed an _Incendio _charm, setting the note on fire as she tossed it in the grate of the fireplace in her room. She should've known he knew that she and Ginny had snuck out again. _Sneaky bastard, _she thought. It irked her that Draco was calling the shots, but she couldn't help looking forward to seeing him tonight.

When Draco arrived at his dorm, he went straight to the bathroom and took a shower. He was filthy from playing quidditch, but like Ginny, he thought it was a good practice and enjoyed every minute of it. He thought about when he saw Hermione and especially liked the look on her face as he flirted with the bint from Hufflepuff. Draco hoped it was getting to her if she thought he was paying attention to another witch. He was going to break Hermione's seemingly casual attitude towards sex if it was the last thing he did. Hermione was going to pay for sneaking out again, he thought as he stroked himself in the shower, thinking about those long legs wrapped around his waist. Good Godric, Hermione Granger had him so wound up!

Stepping out of the shower, Hermione did a quick drying spell on her thick hair, and then pulled it into a high ponytail. She applied her favorite apple-scented body lotion and recited the concealing charm for the love bite on her neck. It was going to be a few days before that thing faded! She wrapped herself in a towel and walked out into her bedroom. Looking through her underwear drawer, she smirked when she pulled out a lacy pink demi bra with a matching thong. Draco was bringing out her naughty side. Maybe it was presumptuous of her to assume that she was going to his dorm for sex, but she knew she wasn't going there to play Tiddlywinks or actually work on a paper. Hermione pulled on a loose pair of cropped gray sweats and a black T-shirt over her provocative lingerie. She was looking forward to seeing Draco's reaction to her choice of undies. This was unchartered territory for her; Hermione never saw herself as the sexy seductress. Draco was bringing out a whole new side of her personality she never knew or even imagined existed.

Draco looked at the clock and saw that it was 7:20 pm. What was his problem? He was never this excited to see anyone. He went to the mirror in his bathroom, looking over his appearance. Draco had let his hair grow out over the summer; it was a little long and fell over his eyes. If anything it made him even more irresistible to the witches. He had chosen to wear cargo shorts and a T-shirt, since it was a little warm in his dorm. If it was up to him, he'd answer the door naked, but he didn't want Hermione to think he only wanted her there for sex. Of course that was a big part of him inviting to her to his dorm, but he was really looking forward to seeing her. He couldn't stop thinking about Hermione and her devil-may-care attitude that was driving him up the wall.

When it was about 7:20 pm, Hermione decided to start walking to Draco's dorm. She stopped by Ginny's room and waved.

"Ugh, going to Malfoy's dorm? I'm serious about helping with his papers so he'll get off our backs. You wouldn't have to go to his dorm," Ginny said and gave her a sympathetic look.

"It's fine Gin. I can handle this. He knows we snuck out again," Hermione replied.

"What the hell is going on with Malfoy? He knows we left Hogwarts again but he didn't report us?" Ginny asked as she cocked her head and gave Hermione a quizzical look. "Oh my goodness, tell me this isn't true! Hermione, do you have something going with him?" Ginny asked, a little incredulously, her eyes widening.

Hermione bit her lip and looked away, laughing a little.

Ginny mouth stayed open for a few seconds and then she pulled Hermione into her room, shutting the door.

"Merlin's bollocks, you totally have something going on with that git! No wonder Malfoy's always smiling and staring at you like a total wanker! So you didn't spend Friday night in the library, you spent the night with him! I can't believe it, you of all people, is sleeping with the enemy!"

"Gin, it just happened. I've wanted to tell you, but I knew you'd react like this. Draco really isn't that bad," Hermione replied, cringing at Ginny's reaction, but relieved that her friend knew the truth.

"I guess its Draco to you, since you're now on such intimate terms! Yeah I bet Malfoy isn't that bad because you're sleeping together. Aren't you afraid he's going to tell everyone? I'm sorry Hermione; I don't trust that bastard further than I can throw him. Does anyone else know?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head. "No just you and Draco. Look Gin, I'm a big girl, I can handle this. I don't think Draco is going to say anything. We have an understanding."

"You've been my best friend for years and I've always trusted your judgment, but Hermione I don't know about this. I just hope you aren't making a mistake. It'll take me some time to process this. I can't believe you're fucking Malfoy," Ginny said as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Please don't tell Harry or Ron about this," Hermione said and gave Ginny a pleading look.

"Of course not. I don't like Malfoy, but I don't want to see him dead," Ginny chuckled. She didn't even want to imagine what Harry and Ron's reaction would be about this.

"Thanks Gin. I need to go, he asked me to be there at 7:30," Hermione said as she walked towards the door.

"Hey, tell me one thing. Is Malfoy good?" Ginny asked with a mischievous grin. She wasn't happy with what Hermione had just told her, but her curiosity got the best her and she wanted to know how Draco was in the sack.

"I couldn't even begin to tell you how amazing sex is with him! Why do you think I'm going back?" Hermione asked and giggled, her face reddening.

"You total slut, look at you, you're blushing! I'll talk to you in the morning," Ginny said, laughing. She then got a serious look on her face and said "All I ask is that you're careful Hermione, I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm okay Gin, I got this," Hermione answered, giving her a smile as she left the room.

Ginny fell back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. What was this world coming to when a diehard Gryffindor fell into bed with a hardcore Slytherin? Hermione with Malfoy? _This is definitely one instance of truth being stranger than fiction, _thought Ginny as she tried to concentrate on the paper she was working on. Who would have ever predicted straight-as-an-arrow Hermione Granger would get with the Bad Boy of Hogwarts?

Hermione wasn't sure how she felt now that Ginny knew what was going on with Draco. Ginny was very much a modern witch, but she was still old-fashioned about certain things. She believed that if two people were sleeping together, they should be dating and in love. Hermione had no intention of either one with Draco. Again, she was just having fun or was she? As she walked to his dorm, she thought back to how she felt when she saw Draco trading friendly banter with Patricia, the younger Hufflepuff witch. She pushed that thought out of her mind; it was just a kneejerk reaction that meant nothing. She was not falling for Draco Malfoy. She arrived at the entrance of his dorm and gave the password: Dragon Fire. As she walked in, she was unprepared for what happened next.

Draco's heart was beating fast; he was so excited when he saw Hermione walk through the door of his dorm. He knew she would come. As soon as she walked in, he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall. Draco took one look at the surprised look on her face, smirked and then kissed her with all of the pent-up passion and aggression he'd been feeling since he saw her sneak out of Hogwarts the night before. He groaned as Hermione kissed him back just as passionately, her arms wrapping around his waist. Draco pushed against her, wanting her to feel how much he desired her. She gave a small moan when she felt how hard he was; she couldn't wait to have him inside of her again. All of a sudden, Draco stopped kissing her and moved back, but still had her pinned against the wall.

"Where did you go last night?" he asked in a soft tone but Hermione detected a sinister undercurrent.

"That's really none of your business. You don't own me," Hermione replied nonchalantly.

_Oh but I will sweet Hermione, I'm biding my time_ was what Draco wanted to tell her, but he held back. "As Head Boy it is my business love. I have to account for all of the students or my arse is on the line. So tell me where did you and Weasley go off to last night?" Draco asked silkily as he caressed her cheek, his eyes never leaving hers.

"You truly are a nosy git. If you must know I went to a concert and Ginny had a date with Harry. Does that answer your question, Mr. Head Boy?" Hermione asked in a saucy manner, but she had a playful expression.

"Did you have a date too?" Draco asked as his eyes bored into hers.

Hermione gave him a strange questioning look. Why would he care if she had a date or not? "No I didn't have a date. I went with a group of friends I worked with over the summer. Why are you asking me about all of this?"

Draco started playing with one of her curls that had come loose from her ponytail. He absently twisted the curl around his finger and then let it go. "I'm asking all of this because it'll help me decide what would be a suitable punishment for you."

Hermione began to laugh. "You want to punish me? What are you going to do, put me over your knee and spank me?"

"That's not a bad idea," Draco said as he picked her up and easily put her over his shoulder.

Hermione beat at his back with her fists. "Put me down Draco, I was kidding!" but it was to no avail. Draco walked over to the sofa and sat down, pulling her on his lap, so that she was lying on her stomach. She tried to squirm away, but Draco was too strong and held her in place.

"You've been such a bad girl," Draco drawled as his eyes feasted on how scrumptious her buttocks looked in the sweats. He held her with one arm and used his other one to pull down her sweatpants. His breath caught when he saw her underwear. Draco knew she wore those to tantalize him. He started rubbing her exposed buttocks with the palm of his hand, the motions making his cock twitch. Hermione turned her head and looked at him with such an innocent expression, it made his heart want to melt.

"Are you really going to spank me?"

At that moment, Draco smirked, giving a hard slap to her left buttock and then her right one. Hermione let out a cry of disbelief and anger. She couldn't believe he actually did that. After the initial shock, Hermione realized she was getting turned on by his dominating actions. Draco repeated the action, he was getting excited too. Suddenly, he pulled her up into his lap. He kissed her softly and then stood up, throwing her over his back again, her buttocks still exposed. He laughed as Hermione pounded her fists on his back as he started walking towards his bedroom.

"Draco! Put me down! What are you going to do?" Hermione asked a bit apprehensively, but still curious and eager for what was next. Draco did not disappoint.

Draco only smiled and kicked the door of his bedroom open. When they entered the room, he kicked the door shut and then laid Hermione on her stomach on his bed. She started turn over onto her back, but Draco stopped her.

"No. Stay like this, you have no idea how tantalizing you look right this moment," Draco said huskily as he rubbed her buttocks, breathing heavily. He looped his right index finger onto her thong and pulled it down. He smiled as he looked at the tiny piece of cloth and thought about the black thong he still had from their first time. He cast the thong aside and moved towards Hermione's bare rear end. Her breath caught as she felt his warm breath on her exposed skin and she bit her lip to stifle a moan when he kissed each cheek of her buttocks. Draco then lay beside her and pulled her onto him.

"I kissed it to make it better. I hope I didn't spank you too hard," he said as his silvery gray eyes looked deep into her brown ones. He meant every word; he'd never deliberately hurt her.

"You didn't hurt me but I wasn't expecting you to punish me," Hermione giggled.

"Huh I'm beginning to think you liked being spanked Ms. Granger," Draco teased as he kissed her.

"Like I'd ever tell you," Hermione taunted and kissed him back. Draco removed her T-shirt and bra and Hermione helped him remove his clothes. He liked her on top; he loved watching her expression change as he kissed her in different places and fondled her breasts. They were so in tune with each other, Draco thought as he ran his hands over her smooth curves and kissed her. He had never felt this way about another witch.

As Hermione responded to his kisses and touch, she knew there was no other place in the world she'd want to be at that moment. She gasped when Draco entered her in one fluid motion. _Finally! I get to feel that huge cock again, _Hermione thought happily, her eyes closed as she started to move with his thrusts.

Draco gripped her hips firmly and rubbed his thumbs over her hip bones. _She's perfect; _he thought as he sat up and pulled her close to him, kissing her deeply. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as he furiously brought her hips down, as he became more and more excited, so close to coming. Hermione threw her head back as her orgasm began to build soon after and then jerked her head back right as that overwhelming feeling took over her whole body, making her shudder and scream out his name. It took Draco only a few moments later to reach his pinnacle of ecstasy and shoot his seed into her warmth.

Breathing heavily, Hermione kissed him and slowly slid off of him, so that she was lying beside him. Draco smiled and he kissed her back. Her breath caught as he did this; he truly had no idea of how gorgeous he was when he smiled. At that moment Hermione actually felt special, like they were the only two people in the world. That smile was meant for her and only her. At that moment she didn't think about what others would say if they knew what she and Draco were doing. Alas, she only felt like this for a few moments and reality set in.

"This is going to sound crazy, but this keeps getting better and better. That was incredible," Draco said softly.

"I agree that was pretty awesome. Draco I need to tell you something," Hermione said hesitantly.

"What is it?" Draco asked, his heart starting to beat a little faster. Was she going to tell him they had to end this?

"Ginny figured out what's going on between us," Hermione replied.

"Oh damn. Are you upset?" Draco asked, but inside he was ecstatic. This was good; maybe Hermione was warming up to the idea of letting the rest of the world know they were together.

"I was at first, but our secret is safe! Gin won't tell anyone, I trust her," Hermione answered as she pushed his hair out of his eyes.

"Yeah wouldn't want anyone finding out about this," Draco said lightly as he absently stroked Hermione's cheek, but inside he was upset. A part of him could understand why Hermione didn't want anyone finding out about them; they'd always been sworn enemies. But damn it to hell, it was different now. Couldn't she feel what was between them? This wasn't just sexual. He and Hermione had such a powerful connection; he was certain she was his destiny. What was it going to take to make her realize this?

They talked for a few moments and then Hermione got out of the bed. Draco felt a little sad as he watched her getting dressed. He wished she would spend the night with him, but that would be awkward since they had classes the next morning. There was more of a risk of running into other students seeing her leaving his dorm. Draco got up from the bed too and pulled on his boxers and shorts, staying shirtless. He walked with Hermione to the door.

"Thank you for another interesting evening," Hermione smiled.

"Sure. You know you're always welcome here. We don't have to do anything, we can talk or actually do homework," Draco said and kissed her softly.

"I might take you up on that Draco. Goodnight," Hermione replied and kissed him back.

"Goodnight," Draco answered as he watched her leave his dorm. _What is happening to me, _Draco thought as he walked back to his bedroom, his heart feeling heavy. He climbed into his bed and inhaled deeply, he could still smell her lingering scent. He fell asleep with his arms wrapped around the pillow Hermione had rested her head on.

Hermione started to walk to her dorm, but for a split second she almost turned back. Draco looked like he had really wanted her to stay. She had to admit it was tempting; it was nice to wake up in his strong arms the other morning. _Whoa, what the hell am I thinking? _Hermione asked herself. She was not falling for Draco Malfoy, they were only having fun.

For the next few months, Hermione and Draco continued getting together. Ginny always pursed her lips when she saw Hermione leaving the dorm; she knew where her friend was going, but she had promised not to say anything. It still astounded her that Hermione was carrying on in this manner with Draco Malfoy of all people. She wondered if Hermione felt something for Draco. She knew Draco felt something for Hermione; she saw the way he looked at her friend when he thought no one else noticed. Ginny truly thought the shit was going to hit the fan the other day when Seamus Finnegan was joking with Hermione. Seamus had playfully draped his arm around Hermione's shoulders while she giggled as he told her a dirty joke about a witch and a charmed pickle. Draco watched them from the Slytherin's table in the Great Hall, his mouth set in a tight line. Ginny watched with apprehension, fearing that he was going to come to Gryffindor's table and make a scene. Thankfully at that moment, Hermione shrugged Seamus's arm away and stood from the table.

"Good one Seamus! I'll have to remember that," Hermione laughed as she started to walk away.

Seamus nodded in agreement, laughing with his friends as they started eating. It was all in good fun, he was glad to see Hermione Granger actually laughing at his dirty joke. She had really changed this year; she wasn't such a stick-in-the mud and Snape's favorite, "an insufferable know-it-all."

Ginny walked out with Hermione, but kept looking back towards Slytherin's table. She was relieved when Draco's face relaxed as he glanced at her and Hermione walking out. She let out a sigh.

"Something wrong Gin?" Hermione asked.

"Not at the moment, but it was a close call," Ginny replied.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked and stopped walking, facing her friend.

"You should've seen the expression on Malfoy's face when you were joking around with Seamus. Hermione I don't think Malfoy sees this 'thing' you and he have as a casual affair. He looked as if he was about to hex Seamus. He looked jealous," Ginny stated and waited to see Hermione's expression.

"I think you misread his actions Gin. Draco isn't jealous," Hermione said, trying to keep a casual tone.

"Wake up Hermione. What is going on with you and Malfoy? I'm trying to wrap my head around this. You go to him almost every night; I know you aren't going there to do homework. Do you not see that there's a good possibility he's developed feelings for you? I know he's Malfoy, but Hermione you can't play around with someone's emotions," Ginny said in a low voice as she pulled Hermione near a quiet corner. Other students were walking in the hall and Ginny definitely didn't want anyone overhearing this conversation.

"Gin, I know this is going to sound horrible, but I'm comfortable with what Draco and I have at the moment. I enjoy being with him, but I don't think I want a full-fledged relationship right now. Remember this is supposed to be my year to let go and have fun," Hermione replied softly as she leaned heavily against the wall.

"You need to make a decision Hermione; you can't keep stringing Malfoy along like this. It isn't right to keep having this I don't know what to call it, 'secret affair?' You better figure out what to do because I think this is about to get ugly," Ginny said.

Hermione only nodded. Why did things have to be so complicated? She mulled this over as she walked to class. As much as she hated to admit it, Ginny was right.

Draco watched as Hermione walked out with Ginny. He couldn't believe how angry he'd gotten when he saw Finnegan's arm around Hermione. That did it; Draco decided at that moment he was going to give Hermione an ultimatum. He couldn't take this anymore; he wanted everyone to know she was his. The only problem was did she feel the same way. It was a risk he was going to have to take.

**What am I going to do with those two? Hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks again for the reviews and alerts.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter Five**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything related to Harry Potter, this is simply a figment of my twisted imagination!**

Draco sat on the sofa in his common room, looking into the fire that was burning in the fireplace. He had decided that this was the night he was going to present Hermione with an ultimatum. He had to know where they stood. She was all he thought about, night and day. It drove him crazy when she came to him after hours and then stole back to her room in the early morning hours. Draco hated to admit it, but a huge part of him wondered if Hermione was only using him for sex. She rarely acknowledged him during normal school hours unless it was something school-related. She also kept sneaking out of Hogwarts on the weekend and quite frankly, Draco was getting tired of turning a blind eye to it. He cared about Hermione and needed to know what he meant to her. Was he only a "good fuck" or did she care about him too?

Ginny shook her head as she watched Hermione leave Gryffindor's dorm yet again. They had just finished an assignment and it was almost 9 p.m. Pretty much every night around this time Hermione left the dorm and would sneak back in at about 2 a.m. Filch and Mrs. Norris must be slipping because Hermione always managed to elude them. Harry was also bugging Ginny, wanting to know who was the new guy in Hermione's life. He had let it slip about the huge love bite Hermione had a few months ago when he and Ginny had gotten together the weekend before.

"I don't know what you're talking about Harry," Ginny said lightly and laughed.

"Come on Gin, who is Hermione seeing?" Harry asked in a goading manner and nudged her playfully.

"Harry, Hermione's love life is none of your business," Ginny replied lightly, giggling as she gently pushed him away.

"Why? Is he really hideous? What? Are you going to tell me she's seeing Draco Malfoy?' Harry asked these rhetorical questions and then laughed. Ginny quickly put her head down so Harry wouldn't see her expression. She picked at imaginary lint on her clothes as Harry looked at her, wondering why she reacted this way. Thankfully Mrs. Weasley interrupted.

"Harry, Ginny, dinner is ready!" Mrs. Weasley called from the dining room. _Whew! Saved by mum,_ thought Ginny as she and Harry made their way to dinner. It was a Saturday night and they were having dinner with Ginny's family. Ginny was glad when Harry and Ron began to have a discussion about work and Hermione's love life was temporarily put on the back burner.

Ginny reflected on this, thinking Harry had forgotten about it for the moment but she knew him well; he would bring it up again. She was wondering if he had said anything about it to Ron. _Wouldn't that be grand, _thought Ginny sarcastically, and then she'd have both of them hounding her. Nosy gits. She hoped Hermione was prepared to make a decision soon. Ginny wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to keep Harry from finding out.

Hermione walked over to Draco's dorm and gave the password. She stepped in, preparing herself to be swept up in Draco's arms since he was always waiting for her, but he wasn't at the door. She looked around and saw him sitting on the sofa staring at the bright flames and logs crackling in the fireplace. He was staring straight ahead and didn't acknowledge her presence. Hermione raised her eyebrows and sat beside him.

"There must be something really fascinating in that fire."

Draco didn't say anything for a few moments and then he turned and looked at her with a serious expression. "What is this that we're doing?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, but she knew what he meant. Ginny had warned her it was going to come to this.

"This! You've been coming to my room every night, we have sex and then you go back to your dorm. I see you during the day, you don't even look at me and if we do speak, people probably think we hate each other. We've been doing this since September and here we are, two weeks before the Christmas holiday break. I don't know if I can keep doing this," Draco said in an angst-filled tone, running his hand through his hair.

"Fine, we can stop! I didn't think it was bothering you so much, you haven't complained before," Hermione spat and started to rise from the sofa. She was being immature, but she felt almost as if this was self-preservation. She wasn't about to let him think that she looked forward to this time with him and would be devastated if it all ended. It was so stupid of her, but it was as if she couldn't help acting that way. She was still in that "I'm Cool and Unaffected" Hermione mode.

"I. am. not. finished. Sit down and listen," Draco replied in a deadly tone and pushed her back against the cushions of the sofa.

Hermione was now pissed. She pushed him back and stood up, her chest heaving and wild curls escaped from her ponytail. "You're not going to manhandle me Draco Malfoy! I am out of here!"

"Damn it woman! You are going to listen to what I have to say!" Draco shouted angrily as he grabbed her by the arms and pushed her against the wall.

"Let go of me, fucker!" Hermione shrieked, trying to break out of his grasp, but Draco held her firmly. She wasn't going anywhere.

Draco could feel a tightening in his pants, but he had to ignore it. _Damn it to hell she drives me crazy, _he thought as he took in how angry she was and how much it turned him on. "Hermione, if I let go, will you promise to calm down so we can discuss this without hexing each other?" he said, pleading with his gray eyes.

Hermione sighed and decided she would hear him out. She knew she was acting like an immature brat, but why did Draco want to complicate matters? "Okay, I promise I won't try to leave or hex you."

As he loosened his grip on her arms, Hermione pulled away, giving him a dirty look as she sat on the wingback chair near the sofa. Draco sat on the sofa and looked at her, as if he was deep in thought, thinking carefully about what he was going to say to her. He took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Hermione, I've been giving this a lot of thought and I think we should take things to the next level. I'm ready for everyone to know about us."

"What do you mean? You want us to be a couple?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah that's what I mean. Come on, don't you think we'd be great together?" Draco asked and smiled.

"Draco I'm comfortable with the way things are. I don't know if I want to be involved in a relationship. I thought you and I were on the same page on this issue," Hermione said calmly, but her heart was racing.

"Damn it Hermione, I'm trying to tell you that I want to be with you. I don't want to have to keep sneaking around. I want everyone to know you're my girl," Draco said softly and took hold of her left hand.

Hermione closed her eyes as he felt Draco's warm hand take her clammy one. So many thoughts were running in her head at that moment. A part of her wanted to tell Draco yes and throw herself into his arms yet that stubborn streak in her didn't want to commit to anything. "I don't know what to say except that I'm not ready for a relationship. I had told Ginny that this school year was going to be my year to have fun. I don't want to be tied down."

Draco pulled his hand away and sneered. "So that's what it would be like if you and I became a couple, you'd feel 'tied down'? You know what Hermione? I'm done. I can't do this anymore. Here I am pouring my heart out and you're pretty much telling me you just want to be with me for my dick!"

"No Draco, that's not what I meant at all. I just feel that we should enjoy our last year of school and not have the stress of being in a relationship. I thought you understood that when we started sleeping together," Hermione said pleadingly as she moved to place her hands on his shoulders.

Draco pushed her away roughly as Hermione looked at him with a hurt expression. His heart broke when he saw that he had hurt her; a big part of him wanted to take her in his arms and apologize, but he had to be strong. "Don't touch me. We're done here unless you want to take it to the next level."

"I just can't right now Draco. I guess we're done," Hermione said sadly as tears glistened in the corner of her eyes. She backed away from him and made her way to the entrance of his dorm, walking out quietly.

As soon as she was gone, Draco sat on the sofa with his head in his hands. _What the hell have I done?_ He thought. It took every bit of self-restraint he had not to run out after Hermione, but he held back. It had to be done. He took a chance on finding out how she truly felt about him. He was filled with disappointment and sadness, but a steely resolve was also building up within him. Draco had fallen hard for Hermione Granger and he still wanted her, but he'd be damned if she was going to get the best of him. Maybe this was what it was going to take to make her realize that they belonged together.

Hermione wiped away the tears as she walked back to Gryffindor's dorms. She couldn't get Draco's sneering face out of her mind. It made her think back to when they were still enemies, which wasn't that long ago. She couldn't explain what she was so afraid of when it came to Draco. A part of it was that she did care about what her friends, especially Harry and Ron, would think when they found out she was with Draco Malfoy. Hermione wasn't sure if she was ready to deal with the negativity she and Draco would surely face from her peers and his. Who the hell was she kidding? This was all a copout on her part. Another thing that bothered her was the fact that her heart felt like it was being shattered into a million little fragments. Hermione knew that she had messed up, but she wasn't sure how she was going to fix it.

Ginny was preparing for bed when she heard the door to Hermione's room open and shut. _That's weird,_ she thought as she looked out into the hall. Ginny walked over to Hermione's room and knocked softly.

"Back so soon?" she said quietly through the closed door.

Hermione opened the door and let Ginny in, shutting the door behind them. "You were right Gin. Draco told me it was over unless I wanted to make a commitment. I told him I wasn't ready for that and now we're done," she said in a matter-of-fact tone, but Ginny knew her friend well. She could see that Hermione was trying to act like it didn't affect her, but her eyes told a different story. Ginny could tell her friend had been crying.

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk?" Ginny asked as she put a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"I'm fine. It was fun while it lasted and now it's over. C'est la vie," Hermione replied with a wry smile.

Ginny sighed. "Do you want me stay?"

"No go get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning," Hermione answered. Ginny patted her arm as she looked at her one more time and then went back to her room. Hermione climbed into her bed; thoughts of Draco were racing through her head at a kilometer a second. Needless to say it was a few hours before she finally fell into a fitful sleep.

The next two weeks before the Christmas break seemed to be a hazy blur for Draco and Hermione. Hermione threw herself into her studies and spent most of her time in the library. When she did go back to her dorm, she confined herself to her room. Ginny checked in on her, but for the most part left her alone. She hated seeing Hermione being in such a state, but her friend should have known that she was playing with fire. She couldn't have expected to keep having a sexual relationship with Draco without one of them developing feelings beyond the physical contact.

Draco also hit the books and stayed in his dorm room, unless he had quidditch practice. He was always pissed off and horny as hell. He couldn't help it; he'd been having sex with Hermione almost every night for the past few months. Draco still thought about her all of the time and wondered if he'd done the right thing. He hardly saw her except for a few glimpses here and there. Sometimes he thought about saying "fuck it" and dragging Hermione into an empty classroom, but she was always surrounded by Gryffindors, mainly Ginny Weasley.

Hermione was relieved that she had only one more day at school and then she would be able to leave for her holiday break. She couldn't wait to get away and sleep in her bed at home. Also, a few nights out in London might snap her out of the funk she was experiencing. Hermione had already received quite a few invitations to Christmas and New Year's parties, mostly from her former coworkers. This was the first good day she was having since the incident two weeks before. She was actually looking forward to the break. As she was walking to her next class and thinking about this, she bumped into someone, causing her books to fall out of her bag.

"Pardon me, I wasn't looking where I was going-," she started to say when she realized she bumped into Draco.

Draco stared into those lustrous brown eyes he knew so well, his heart threatening to burst out of his chest. This was the first time he had gotten close to her since they parted ways. All he wanted to do was tell her to forget what he had said and that everything was fine, but since he was surrounded by his Slytherin classmates he took another course of action.

"Watch where you're walking filthy mudblood! 5 points from Gryffindor," Draco spat and sneered at her, while his classmates snickered. He smirked and walked away but inside he was dying. He kept seeing Hermione's face fall when he uttered that horrible slur. This was definitely not one of his prouder moments. He let his pride get the best of him.

Hermione was speechless and appalled as she bent down to pick up her books. As she was putting them back in her bag, someone handed a book to her. She smiled through her tears when she saw it was Ginny.

Ginny was about to walk up to Hermione when she saw her bump into Draco. She witnessed the whole thing and couldn't believe Malfoy had stooped to calling Hermione a mudblood. She knew that he probably said it because he was still very upset with Hermione but that was really hitting below the belt considering how close he and Hermione were. A big part of her wanted to run after Malfoy and hex him to the moon, but she knew that wouldn't solve anything. She wanted to be there for Hermione. Her eyes narrowed and shot daggers at Draco's retreating form.

Draco let his classmates go ahead of him and he turned to look back. He quickly turned away when he saw Ginny Weasley helping Hermione with her books. Ginny was glaring in his direction, looking like she was thinking about emasculating him. _How fucking stupid can I be. Now Hermione will never give me a chance, if she was even thinking about it, _Draco thought.

Ginny and Hermione decided to skip their next class and returned to Gryffindor's dorm. As soon as they entered Hermione's room, the dam burst. Hermione cried for most of the afternoon while Ginny handed her tissues, lent her ear, and consoled her friend with soothing words.

"Gin, I still can't believe he referred to me as that horrible word!" Hermione sobbed.

Ginny patted her friend's back. "Hermione he probably blurted out whatever he thought would hurt the most, I'm sure it was just a defense mechanism on his part."

Hermione sat back and looked at Ginny. She blew her nose and asked, "Are you defending his actions?"

Ginny sighed. "No, I'm merely trying to say that he probably didn't mean to hurt you. I find it hard to fathom Draco Malfoy still believes that you're a mudblood. I'm just considering that he was the one who wanted to take your relationship out into the open and you balked. Obviously he's still hurt and angry."

"You're right. I'm sorry I lashed out at you," Hermione replied.

"It's okay, this is stressful," Ginny said gently.

"I can't get over how much this hurt me Gin. How many times in the past has Draco called me that ugly name and I walked away unaffected? It's so different now, everything has changed. Gin, I messed up and I don't know how I can fix it," Hermione answered sadly.

"I know this sounds so trite, but if it's meant to be you two will find your way back to each other. You'll figure something out. Look on the bright side, tomorrow morning we'll be going home for the holidays. I'll keep you so busy you won't have time to think about any guy," Ginny said and smiled.

"Maybe that's what I need," Hermione said softly as wiped away the last of her tears.

The young women spent the rest of the afternoon making sure they had packed everything they needed. Hermione showed Ginny the different invitations she had received and they made plans to go to some of the events. She planned to spend Christmas Eve with her parents and Christmas Day at The Burrow with Ginny, Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Weasley clan. Hermione was really grateful to have Ginny by her side. Her friend was definitely her rock in this storm that had become her current life.

They boarded the Hogwarts Express the next morning and the trip home was without incident. Ginny and Hermione shared a compartment with a few other fellow Gryffindors. Hermione tuned out the different conversations going on around her and mostly stared out of the window. It was hard to believe Draco was probably only a short distance from her, yet they were so far away.

The train arrived at Kings Cross station and the young women disembarked from it. Ginny squealed when she saw Harry and jumped in his arms, kissing him enthusiastically. Ron smiled and shook his head. He smiled when he saw Hermione. Hermione gave him a small smile as she fell into step beside him as they walked behind Ginny and Harry. Harry and Ron had taken the morning off from work to surprise them at the station. Hermione was comforted by this and glad to be in the company of dear friends.

Draco's eyes narrowed as he took in the seemingly cozy scene. _Yeah that's about right, Hermione running straight into the arms of Weaselbee, _he thought. What did he expect after the way he had treated her. He still felt like a total arsehole for what he did to Hermione the day before. It made him sick to his stomach to realize he drove her back to Ronald Weasley. He walked quickly with his luggage to where his parents were waiting for him. _These are going to be the two longest weeks of my life, _Draco thought dismally.

Ginny made good on her promise to Hermione; the two young women stayed very busy for the holiday season. They attended many holiday parties and even caught a few shows in London. Hermione knew Ginny was trying to keep her mind off of Draco, but her thoughts always drifted back to him. She wondered if he was having a good holiday and was thinking about her.

Draco's holiday break was very quiet and formal at the mausoleum otherwise known as Malfoy Manor. His mother Narcissa tried to get him to go to a few balls taking place, but Draco was in no mood for the pretentious pureblood gatherings. Mothers were always trying to push their daughters on him and it wore on his nerves. He thought about Hermione all of the time, wondering what she was doing, and who was she with. Draco knew he shouldn't be obsessing over this; it wasn't healthy, but he couldn't help himself. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he never heard his father come into his bedroom.

"Draco, your mother and I couldn't help but notice how withdrawn you've been since you've returned home. Did something occur at Hogwarts?" Lucius asked, as one eyebrow rose inquiringly.

"It's nothing father. I just have a lot on my mind thinking about exams and finishing school," Draco replied. His father would never understand that his gloomy mood was caused by a witch, not just any witch, but none other than Hermione Granger. Lucius Malfoy's views on muggles and muggleborn witches and wizards had changed considerably since the demise of Voldemort, but he still wouldn't be thrilled to know Draco had fallen for her.

"Well your mother and I want you to accompany us to the Ministry's New Year's Eve ball tomorrow evening," Lucius said.

"Father, do I have to? I'm really not in the mood," Draco replied, his mouth turning down at the corners.

"Be that as it may, yes you do. Your mother and I are doing everything we can to repair our damaged relationship with the Ministry. I think it would make an extremely good impression if we all went as a family," Lucius said firmly.

"You twisted my arm, I'll dust off the dress robes," Draco said sarcastically.

Lucius grimaced and was about to give a sharp retort, but something about Draco's manner made him hesitate. It finally hit Lucius that Draco was really agonizing over something and tried to cover it up by being surly. He put a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"It might not be as bad as you think Draco. I'm sure there'll be some very attractive witches there," Lucius actually chuckled.

Draco gave a rueful smile. "I'm sure there will be."

"I'll let you get back to your thoughts and let Narcissa know that you'll be attending the ball with us. Draco, your mother will be thrilled; this is very important to her," Lucius said as he was about to walk out of Draco's bedroom.

"I understand father, I'll be on my best behavior," Draco replied with a smirk.

Lucius only nodded as he closed Draco's door. As he walked away he couldn't help wondering what had Draco feeling so down.

Hermione groaned and collapsed in a chair near Gin's bed. They were sitting in Ginny's bedroom at The Burrrow. She was showing Hermione the dress she was wearing for the Ministry's New Year's Eve ball. She was going with Harry to the ball the next evening. Ginny's dress was a fitted hunter green lace sheath with cap sleeves. It was quite lovely and Hermione knew Ginny was going to rock it like she usually did. Ginny was trying to convince Hermione that she needed to go to the ball too.

"Come on Hermione! It'll be fun. Ron's already agreed that'll he take you. That way he can dance with any witch he wants and his date won't get pissed," Ginny chuckled.

"I can't go to the ball, I don't have a thing to wear," Hermione said happily.

Gin cocked one eyebrow at Hermione. "Are you kidding me? Come on, it's only 1:00 in the afternoon. We'll take the floo to Diagon Alley and then we'll hit London! It'll be fun!"

"Ginnnnn do I have to?" Hermione whined and made a face. Ginny shook her head and pulled a reluctant Hermione up from the chair.

"Yes! Now let's get going so we can find a kick-arse dress for the ball!" Ginny replied excitedly.

Hermione knew once Ginny got started on something, resistance was futile. She gave in to her friend's demand and within moments they were in London. Hermione sighed as Ginny begin to drag her to her favorite boutiques. _It was going to be a long afternoon, _she thought. They had gone into a few stores and were about to give up when Hermione found the perfect dress.

The following afternoon Ginny and Hermione were getting ready for the ball. Hermione was glad that Ginny had talked her into it. She was actually enjoying herself and felt genuinely happier than she had since she had started her holiday break. She and Ginny took turns in the mirror as they did their hair and makeup. Both young women decided to go with sophisticated up-dos for their hair since this was a formal occasion. They both shrieked when they realized they only had 20 minutes until they had to leave for the Ministry. They hadn't even put on their dresses.

Hermione was not at all surprised when she saw how stunning Ginny looked in her dress. The green color really complemented her creamy complexion and offset her red hair fabulously. She zipped up the back and smiled at Ginny in the mirror. "You're going to knock Harry's socks off and every other guy at the Ministry." Ginny smiled back and laughed.

Slipping into her dress, Hermione smiled at her reflection. She didn't know what it was about the dress, but she absolutely fell in love with it. Even before she had tried it on, she knew it was going to be perfect. It was a black vintage Art Deco-inspired sleeveless mesh dress with a sheer illusion bodice. Hermione had always loved reading the American muggle author F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels and she felt like one of his female characters in this dress. She definitely felt like she had stepped back in time to the 1920s.

Ginny looked at her and covered her mouth with her hand. Hermione gave her a worried expression and asked "What's wrong?"

"Not a thing Hermione, it's just that you look absolutely beautiful. I wasn't sure about this dress when you first picked it up, but oh Merlin, it's perfect!" Ginny said softly.

"Aw, thanks Gin. I'm really glad you talked me into this," Hermione said.

"I am too. Come on we better get downstairs, I'm sure our dates are fit to be tied," Ginny giggled as they walked out of her room.

Harry was looking at his watch when the young women descended the stairs. His mouth and Ron's dropped when they saw them. _It was definitely worth the wait, _the young men thought simultaneously. Their dates were stunning and were probably going to be the hottest witches at the ball. Ron knew he and Hermione were only going as friends, but he was proud that he was going to have such a beautiful date on his arm.

The two couples decided to disapparate to the Ministry since they were in such formal attire; sometimes the floo networks could be a little messy. They arrived at the ball and made their way to the grand ballroom. Hermione winced when she realized that as they walked in, their names were being announced by a Ministry representative.

"Mr. Harry Potter and his date, Ms. Ginerva Weasley!" the representative boomed as the beaming couple walked in. All eyes turned when Harry's name was called and everyone whispered excitedly. Harry was quite the celebrity.

Hermione gave Ron a small smile, holding her breath as she took his arm. "Mr. Ronald Weasley and his date, Ms. Hermione Granger!" Again, all eyes in the room were focused on them. Ron's face reddened a little, but then he quickly recovered. They followed Ginny and Harry to their assigned table. Hermione was totally unaware that someone was watching her every move.

Draco sat at a table with his parents. He was bored out of his mind, wondering if he could conjure a sudden illness so he could get the hell out of there, when he heard her name. _His Hermione with Weaselbee, _he thought with disgust. He watched as she and Weaselbee sat at a table with Potty and the other Weasley. He had to use every bit of his inner strength not to go over to the table, grab Hermione, and get as far away from here as they possibly could so they could talk things out. He wanted to apologize for how horribly he treated her; he'd do anything so she'd forgive him. His heart ached when he saw how sexy and gorgeous she looked. The dress she was wearing looked amazing on her; it wasn't just any witch that could've pulled off that look. As far as Draco was concerned, no other witch in the ballroom compared to her.

Hermione danced a few times with Ron and then he started to work the room, dancing with other witches. Ron had turned out to be quite the social butterfly and wasn't the awkward boy he was at Hogwarts. Hermione sat at the table and watched him move around the dance floor, happy that her friend was enjoying himself. As she was gazing out onto the dance floor, she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She was surprised when she looked up and saw who it was.

"Oliver Wood! It's been ages, how are you?" Hermione asked. She was a little startled, but was glad to see the young man who had graduated from Hogwarts a few years before. He had been a fellow Gryffindor who now worked in the Department of Magical Mysteries and was a reserve player for the professional quidditch team, Puddlemere.

"I'm very well Hermione. I see that your date has abandoned you for mine," Oliver chuckled as he looked towards Ron dancing with a very attractive brunette witch.

"Oliver, I'm sorry. Ron and I came here as friends. I hope you're not upset," Hermione in an astonished manner. She hoped this wasn't going to start a huge commotion.

"Not at all, it gave me a chance to come and talk to the prettiest witch in this room," Oliver smiled.

"Uh thanks I suppose, but I don't agree with you. There are plenty of beautiful women here tonight," Hermione chuckled. _Merlin, Oliver Wood is flirting with me!_ She was taken aback by this because while they were at Hogwarts, Oliver Wood had never paid any attention to her or any other witch for that matter. He was always caught up in quidditch.

"How about a dance and then we can catch up on what's been going on in our lives?" Oliver asked as he put his hand out to Hermione.

"I think I'll take that dance Oliver, let's hit the floor and show our dates what they're missing," Hermione said, laughing.

Oliver laughed too as he led her to the dance floor. They began to dance and chatted amicably. Oliver was a very smooth dancer and charming, but as far as Hermione was concerned, there were no sparks. She decided to just enjoy the moment and have a good time.

Draco watched this whole exchange while his hands balled up into fists. He couldn't believe what he was seeing; first she was with Weaselbee, now she was dancing with that wanker Oliver Wood! He was fuming inwardly about his and never noticed when the Hufflepuff bint Patricia Ellison and her parents came up to their table.

"Ah yes, how are you Beth and Phineas? This must be your lovely daughter," Lucius said gracefully as he greeted the Ellisons.

"Yes, this is Patricia. I believe she is acquainted with Draco," Beth Ellison quipped. As soon as her mother finished this sentence, Patricia popped up in front of Draco, waving excitedly.

"Hi Draco, I didn't know you'd be here! Isn't this ball the most wonderful thing ever?" Patricia asked in a dreamy voice. She was in total bliss because this was her first ball and she felt so grownup. Now her night was totally made seeing that Draco was there too!

"Hello Patricia, yes this ball is quite something. You look very nice tonight," Draco replied politely. It wasn't that Patricia was hideous; she was in fact a lovely girl with a heart-shaped face framed by straight chin length black hair. She had expressive green eyes that lit up the room and a cute figure, but Draco wasn't interested.

Lucius and Narcissa watched this exchange and smiled at each other. The Ellisons were a prominent pureblood family and it didn't hurt that their daughter seemed to have taken a liking to Draco. Lucius gave Draco a subtle nudge with his leg under the table.

"Draco, why don't you ask Patricia to dance?"

_Why don't you ask her you fucking wanker _was what Draco wanted to say, but he only sighed inwardly and gave a tight smile. "Would you care to dance Patricia?"

The younger girl nodded like an eager puppy and almost melted when Draco took her hand to lead her to the dance floor. Like Oliver Wood, Draco was a very smooth dancer and expertly moved Patricia around the floor.

Hermione was dancing for a second time with Oliver Wood and they were still chatting as they danced. Suddenly Oliver grimaced and shook his head.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked.

"I should've known that git would've been here. Merlin I hate him," Oliver replied as he stared across the dance floor.

Hermione followed his gaze and froze, but quickly regained her composure so Oliver wouldn't notice anything was amiss. She should've known it was Draco. Her heart dropped when she saw Draco dancing with Patricia. _I guess he's decided to move on, _she thought sadly. "So I guess Draco was the bane of your existence too while you were at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. Is it true he's Head Boy at Hogwarts? How the hell did that happen?" Oliver asked incredulously as Hermione nodded her head.

"I don't know. To be honest Oliver, he isn't that bad," Hermione said carefully.

"Whatever. I still don't like him. That was one cocky bastard on the quidditch field," Oliver replied.

"Could we please change the subject?" Hermione asked in a lighthearted manner, but she meant it.

"I'm sorry, we most definitely can. You were telling me about all the bands at Mesmerize. Now tell me something, is it true the Weird Sisters lead singer is actually an animangus?" Oliver asked.

Before Hermione could answer, an announcement was made. It was only thirty seconds until midnight. Everyone stopped dancing and waited for the 10-second countdown to start.

"10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the band leader boomed.

With that the muggle song "Auld Lang Syne" began to play and couples kissed each other happily. Hermione looked around for her friends, but then was caught by surprise when Oliver lightly tilted her chin and pressed a gently kiss to her lips.

"Happy New Year Hermione!" Oliver shouted into her ear for the music was loud. Balloons and confetti were falling everywhere, while everyone shouted out New Year greetings to each other.

When the countdown had started, Patricia knew this was her chance, it was now or never. When the New Year was announced, she pulled Draco to her and kissed him full on the lips. Draco was caught off-guard by this because he was watching Hermione and Oliver. He kept his lips tightly closed and gently pushed Patricia away. This was the last thing he needed. The young witch never noticed Draco had pushed her away. As far as she was concerned this was the best night of her life; she kissed Draco Malfoy!

Hermione witnessed that kiss and accepted that Draco had indeed moved on. Maybe it was better this way, Patricia was a pureblood and fit in more with Draco's world than she ever would. She knew she was only kidding herself with those thoughts. She was slowly dying inside after seeing Draco with Patricia. Keeping her composure, Hermione told Oliver goodnight and went to find her friends. She found them near their table and let them know that she was going home. Ron wanted to go with her, but Hermione insisted that he stay and enjoy the rest of the ball. She gave her friends an excuse about having to get up early to meet her parents for breakfast. Ginny watched Hermione walk out of the ballroom; she knew the real reason Hermione was leaving. She had seen the kiss Draco and Patricia Ellison had shared. Ginny's heart broke for Hermione.

As soon as she was alone, Hermione disapparated back to her parents' home. When she made it into her room, she took off her dress and hung it up. She washed the makeup from her face and undid her up-do. The evening had started out so well and she thought she was getting over Draco, but that all changed after tonight. Changing into an old T-shirt and pajama bottoms, Hermione climbed into her bed. When her head hit the pillow, hot tears coursed down her cheeks. She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been to let Draco go so easily.

Draco watched Hermione walk out of the ballroom and started to go after her, but there were so many people in the way. He finally made it out of the ballroom, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen. He sighed and went back into the ballroom where his parents and Patricia, along with her parents, were waiting. He took one look at this and decided to say fuck it. Draco felt that he had done his duty at the ball, so he disapparated back to Malfoy Manor.

Once he arrived back in his bedroom, he stripped off his dress robes and cast them on a chair beside his bed. He grabbed a T-shirt from a dresser drawer and pulled it on over his boxers. Draco went into his bathroom, took a piss, and then brushed his teeth, wanting to wipe away all traces of Patricia. He walked back into his bedroom and climbed into his bed. It was some time before he fell asleep because he kept thinking about how lovely Hermione looked at the ball and wondered if he had truly fucked things up between them.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, had to throw in more drama! Thank you for your patience and I love hearing from all of you. **

**Always, thank you for the reviews and alerts!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl? **

**Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own anything pertaining to Harry Potter; this twisted tale comes from my own crazy imagination! **

On the day she was scheduled to return to Hogwarts, it was very cold and raining heavily. Hermione stared out of her bedroom window and grimaced. The weather reflected her gloomy mood. She was not looking forward to going back to school and having to see Draco with Patricia. Talk about hell on earth.

Draco sighed and looked around his bedroom at Malfoy Manor, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything. He peered out of one of the floor to ceiling windows in his bedroom, shaking his head as he took in the conditions outside. The rain had been falling in a relentless downpour for the last hour or so; it didn't seem to be letting up. It seemed only fitting that the weather would reflect how he was feeling. Draco dreaded going back to Hogwarts. He didn't know how he was going to handle seeing Hermione and her acting as if he didn't exist. Draco knew he didn't deserve anything from Hermione especially after the way he treated her right before they left for the holiday break. If only he could get a chance to speak to her, plead with her, to let her know how sorry he was and he'd do anything to have her back. He was willing to agree with anything she wanted. With that Draco took one last look around his room, shut the door, and left for Kings Cross station.

Hermione waved goodbye to her parents as she went through the brick partition between platforms 9 and 10, so she could get to Hogwarts platform 9 ¾. She boarded the train, situated her luggage, and found an empty compartment. She was glad that her muggle mp3 player worked as she inserted her earplugs, pressed play, and lost herself in the music as she curled up with a book of short stories from F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Ginny smiled when she found Hermione. She entered the compartment and sat down across from Hermione. Her friend was bobbing her head to the music and reading her book, completely oblivious to what was going on around her. Ginny waved a hand in front of her and Hermione looked up, completely startled.

"Merlin Gin, you scared the crap out of me!" Hermione exclaimed as she pulled out her ear buds. She marked her place in her book and put it aside. She shook her head and began to laugh.

"You were really into that book! You never even noticed when I walked in," Ginny replied, chuckling.

"I'm really enjoying this book, I'm glad I have something to keep my mind occupied," Hermione said with a tight smile.

Ginny gave her friend a concerned look, as she patted her friend. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what I want to do. I mean I don't know which end is up at the moment. I guess you saw that kiss between him and Patricia," Hermione said sadly.

"Maybe it's not what it appears to be. For all we know Patricia might have initiated that kiss, just like I know you weren't waiting for Oliver Wood to plant one on you," Ginny replied and gave a small smile.

Hermione groaned. "Ugh, I'd forgotten about Oliver! So you saw that huh?"

"Yeah we all did. Harry and Ron couldn't believe it. Oliver came to our table after you left asking all sorts of questions about you. He never even noticed Ron leaving with his date!" Ginny giggled.

"Oh this isn't good Gin. I mean Oliver is a nice guy and good-looking too, but not for me. What did you tell him?" Hermione asked.

"I felt like I was on the spot. I told him that you weren't seeing anyone, but that you were really involved with your studies at Hogwarts. I hope that was okay," Ginny said with a look of uncertainty.

"That's fine Gin, I understand you did what you had to do. Do you think that put him off?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. He just kept nodding his head and saying 'right, right.' He did mention something about sending an owl to you. Let's face it Hermione, you swept him off of his feet," Ginny chuckled.

Hermione sat back against the seat in the compartment and sighed. "Merlin, this is all I need at the moment."

As she said this, she saw Ginny's attention diverted to someone walking by their compartment. It was Draco. He glanced inside for a moment and then quickly walked away, with Patricia and Nadine at his heels. Ginny looked at Hermione wondering what her reaction was going to be.

Hermione watched as they walked by and raised her eyebrows at Ginny. "Fuck it. Life goes on." She was putting on a tough front, but inside she was dying.

Ginny moved from her side of the compartment and sat beside Hermione. "So, what new songs did you get on that muggle contraption of yours?"

Hermione looked at her friend, grateful that she wasn't elaborating on what they just witnessed. The two young women shared the ear plugs and talked about everything under the sun. Ginny made it a point not to bring up Draco. If Hermione wanted to talk about it, she'd let her initiate the conversation. Despite Ginny's efforts to keep her mind occupied, Hermione couldn't help thinking about seeing Draco with Patricia. She felt worse than she ever imagined. Draco had indeed moved on.

Draco couldn't believe how Patricia Ellison had latched on to him. The stupid bitch actually believed that they were now an item. She had sent him an owl the day before and Draco didn't even bother reading it. The note was enchanted with some sort of bubblegum scent and it was disgusting. He had held it between his thumb and forefinger, and threw it into the fireplace in his bedroom. He groaned when he saw Patricia and her friend Nadine waiting for him on the platform. He was finally able to ditch the annoying girls when he told them that they weren't allowed in the Head Boy and Girl compartment.

When he entered the Head compartment, Susan Bones was already there. She greeted him with a smile and they made polite conversation. After a few moments, Susan left the compartment to meet friends. Draco was glad for this; he wanted to be alone. He spent the rest of the trip to Hogwarts staring out of the window, watching the landscape go by and thinking about Hermione.

It was business as usual at Hogwarts as Hermione threw herself into her classes. She was slowly reverting back to the studious and serious student she'd always been in the past. She was still receiving owls about parties in London, but she had lost interest in sneaking out of Hogwarts. She had even stopped going to Hogsmeade until Ginny dragged her along on the last Saturday of January.

"Come on Hermione, you've been cooped up in this room for almost the whole month! Let's go get some fresh air," Ginny said as she looked through Hermione's closet, putting together an outfit and throwing it towards her friend.

"Fine, but I don't want to stay there all day. I have tests to study for," Hermione said as she made a face at the outfit Ginny threw at her.

"Don't make that face and you know that test material frontwards and backwards! A few hours in Hogsmeade won't kill you. I'll give you 15 minutes to fix that face and to get dressed. Don't just stand there, get to it," Ginny ordered as she walked out of Hermione's room.

"You're so damn bossy," Hermione muttered.

"I heard that and yes I am bossy after growing up in a household full of alpha males! Someone has to put them in their place. 15 minutes!" Ginny answered and chuckled as she walked to her room.

Hermione stripped off the comfy pajamas she'd been planning to spend the day in and changed into the skinny jeans and a fitted long-sleeved red T-shirt. She pulled on the black boots Gin had also thrown to her and then looked in the mirror. She shook her head at her reflection; Ginny always knew what would look good on her. Hermione pulled her hair into a high ponytail and applied a little bit of makeup so she wouldn't look washed out. When she was done, she was actually looking forward to getting out with Ginny. She decided that she was going to make the most of the day out at Hogsmeade.

Exactly 15 minutes later, Ginny showed up. She grinned when she saw Hermione was dressed and had even put on makeup. Hermione pulled on her coat, linking arms with Ginny as they made their way out of the dorm. They were able to share a carriage with Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. They laughed the whole way to Hogsmeade as Seamus told one dirty joke after another. When they arrived, Hermione was the first one to step out of the carriage. She was wiping her eyes because tears had formed from laughing so hard. It felt good to laugh.

"Merlin Seamus, I can't tell you the last time I laughed this hard," Hermione said.

"Make sure you ride back with us, I'm saving my best jokes for then," Seamus chuckled and waggled his eyebrows in a mischievous manner.

"I'll definitely have to remember those to tell Harry," Ginny said as she stepped out of the carriage.

The young women decided to start at the bookstore while Seamus and Dean went over to The Three Broomsticks. They agreed on a time to meet so they could ride back to Hogwarts together.

Draco had arrived at Hogsmeade about half-an-hour before and witnessed all of this from the window of the candy store, Honeydukes. He was looking around the store, trying to decide what Hermione would like best. He had picked up a few sugar quills, filled chocolates, along with a box made of spun sugar to place them in. Draco planned on leaving this for Hermione along with a note asking her to meet him so they could talk. He had just finished purchasing everything when he saw Ginny and Hermione cavorting with Dean and Seamus. Seething with jealousy, he watched the scene unfold, hating the way Hermione looked so happy as she laughed with Seamus. Hermione was his; she should only be looking at him that way. He stayed in Honeydukes until he saw the young women enter the bookstore. As he exited Honeydukes, he inwardly groaned when he came face-to-face with Patricia and the other bint, Nadine.

"Fancy seeing you here Draco! I didn't know you had a sweet tooth!" Patricia gushed as she looked over at Nadine and giggled.

_Why the fuck would you know if I had a sweet tooth you stupid bitch, _Draco wanted to say but he restrained himself. "Yes I come in to Honeydukes from time to time. If you'll excuse me, I have some other shopping to take care of."

"Patricia adores sweets! Perhaps you and she have the same tastes," Nadine said bravely, pushing Patricia towards Draco.

Patricia gave Nadine a horrified look, but inside she was so excited that Nadine took the reins in this situation. She knew how crazy Patricia was about Draco.

"Ladies, I really have things to do, but why don't you look through this. Take whatever you like," Draco replied as he gave the bag to Patricia. He wanted to get rid of the candy because he had no use for it after seeing Hermione with Seamus.

"Oh wow, thanks Draco," Patricia exclaimed as she looked into the bag. "I love sugar quills!"

Draco started to walk away and the two girls trailed after him. He could've kicked himself; now he was stuck with these two bints for the rest of the afternoon. Patricia was going to think he liked her since he gave her the candy intended for Hermione. _You really know how to make a mess of things_, Draco thought as he tried to walk ahead of Patricia and Nadine, but wasn't succeeding. They both walked with him, chattering incessantly until Nadine met up with her boyfriend, Todd. Draco didn't miss the wink Nadine gave Patricia as she took off with Todd, leaving Patricia alone with Draco. He had to spend the rest of the afternoon listening to Patricia tell him over and over again about how she had a great time at the ball.

Hermione was looking at books near the front window of the bookstore when she saw a familiar white head exiting Honeydukes. Her heart began to beat faster as she saw him walking away and then it dropped when she saw him talking to Patricia and Nadine. She watched as he handed the bag of candy to Patricia; the younger girl's face was beaming. This was all too much for Hermione. She walked away from the window and shook her head, walking to the back of the store where Ginny was looking at quidditch books.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked when she took in Hermione's defeated expression.

"Oh nothing much. I just saw Draco giving a bag of sweets to his little tart," Hermione replied sarcastically and smirked.

"I honestly don't see how Malfoy puts up with that girl, she never shuts up. If you ask me they deserve each other. Come on Hermione; let's not have this ruin your day. I'll buy you a drink at The Three Broomsticks," Ginny said and smiled.

"You're right Gin. I need to put this behind me. I mean I can't blame him, he wanted us to be a couple and I just threw it away," Hermione's voice broke and tears started falling.

"I know it's difficult seeing this. Look we can go back to school if this is too much. Now I feel bad that I made you come to Hogsmeade," Ginny said softly.

"No Gin, don't feel that way. You've been nothing but an exceptional friend for putting up with my emotional crap. I was actually enjoying the day until a few minutes ago," Hermione said and started to wipe the tears away.

"Do you want to stay? I think it'll be worth it to ride back with Seamus and Dean," Ginny chuckled.

"Yeah I think you're right. Let's go get that drink," Hermione replied and smiled.

"Let's go to the ladies room and clean you up first. We don't need the nosy Parkers asking all sorts of questions about why you were crying," Ginny said.

Hermione nodded as they went into the restroom and fixed her face. Ginny purchased the quidditch book and they went off to The Three Broomsticks. As soon as they walked in, Dean and Seamus called out to them, so they could join them and other Gryffindors seated at the same table. A round of butterbeers was ordered and the young women commenced to drinking with their friends.

The afternoon went by quickly and when it was time to get back to Hogwarts, the Gryffindors were all a little buzzed from all of the butterbeer that had been consumed. Ginny and Hermione climbed into a carriage with Dean and Seamus. As promised, Seamus told even raunchier and funnier jokes than he had told on the way over to Hogsmeade. They were all laughing when Hermione began to snort because she was laughing so hard. When they arrived back at Hogwarts, they stumbled out of the carriage and made their way back into the castle. Ginny and Hermione thanked the young men for hanging out with them as they walked back to their dorms.

Draco had left Hogsmeade a few hours before. He had finally ditched Patricia by taking a secret exit out of the quidditch shop she'd followed him into. A small part of him felt guilty for doing this, but damn couldn't she take a hint and realize he wasn't interested? He was able to catch a carriage back to Hogwarts before she noticed that he was gone. As the carriage started moving, he could see her walking around the quidditch shop, looking around for him. When he returned to Hogwarts, he went back to his dormitory to catch up on homework, but he couldn't concentrate. He decided to take a walk to clear his head and ended up on one of the observation towers. He had a good view of the entrance of Hogwarts and watched as carriages began to arrive from Hogsmeade. Draco grimaced as he watched Hermione step out of a carriage with the Weasley girl, along with those Gryffindor gits, Dean and Seamus. They were still laughing uproariously and even swaying a bit as they walked into the castle. Draco couldn't believe that they were drunk. A part of him wanted to march down and deduct points from his house, but he knew that was just being petty. He so wanted her to notice him, but it was obvious Hermione was moving on.

Hermione was buzzed but wasn't too blitzed. She made it to her room stumbling, but was able to strip off her clothes and change into pajamas. She managed to wash her face and brush her teeth. As soon as she climbed into her bed and her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep. Despite seeing Draco with his little tart, she managed to have a good day after all.

Something stirred in him and he knew it was risky, but Draco figured desperate times called for desperate measures. He decided to sneak into Gryffindor's dorm after hours and go to Hermione's room. Since he was Head Boy he had the passwords and layout of all of the rooms of each house. Although he'd never been to Hermione's room, he knew exactly where it was located.

It was about midnight when Draco went up to Gryffindor's dorm. He gave the password to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She looked at him suspiciously.

"Why are you here at this late hour and aren't you a Slytherin?"

"Not that it is any of your concern, but I am a Slytherin and Head Boy. I am here to check on something," Draco replied in a snarky manner, but inside he was a nervous wreck. What if the big blob kept giving him crap and wouldn't let him in?

The Fat Lady made a face as she rolled her eyes. She sniffed and said, "Fine you surly young man, go ahead. I warn you, you take care not to disturb anything!" With that, the portrait moved over and Draco was able to gain access.

Draco crept in quietly and let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the common room. He moved to the stairway on the right, knowing that this was where the girls' dormitories were located. As he walked up the stairs, he held his breath, hoping that he wouldn't meet up with anyone. Luck was on his side as he finally made it to Hermione's room. He looked around him as he opened the door. As soon as he was inside, he shut the door carefully, grateful that it didn't make any noise. He cast a Silencing charm and walked over to Hermione's bed. She was sprawled on her back, her breaths steady and consistent with one being in deep sleep. She had kicked off her comforter and the T-shirt she was wearing for a nightgown had rode up, exposing the pink bikini panties she was wearing. Draco's breath caught when he saw this; it had been way too long since he'd been so near to her lovely body.

Wondering if he was truly insane, Draco carefully climbed into Hermione's bed and lay beside her. He then turned to her and kissed her, praying that she wouldn't wake up screaming. He was pleasantly surprised when she moaned and kissed him back. Draco was encouraged by this and his kissing became more urgent. He decided to take a chance and moved on top of her. He sighed with contentment as Hermione's arms snaked around his neck and pulled him closer. Draco wondered how far he could go, so he uttered a charm and made her T-shirt disappear. He groaned when her glorious tits appeared before him. He was like a starving man as he buried his face into her chest, taking his time licking and sucking each breast. How he missed this he thought as he savored her scent and the feel of her soft skin. He was amazed that Hermione never woke up; it was as if she was in a trance. As he lavished attention on her breasts, he felt her hands in his hair and could hear gentle moans coming from her, but she still appeared to be asleep. Draco looked up from her breasts and then decided that he wanted to take this even further. He pointed his wand and then her panties were cast to the floor. _Merlin she is so beautiful_, Draco thought as he took in Hermione's nudity. He quickly rid himself of his clothes and positioned himself between her legs. A part of him knew this was wrong; but he wanted her so badly and missed her. He was so hard and he couldn't wait to plunge into her heat. Uttering a contraception charm, he entered her carefully and groaned when he felt how wet and warm she was. As he began to thrust gently, he was relieved when Hermione responded to him as she had before, by wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. As his thrusts became more urgent, he buried his face into her sweet neck and it wasn't long before he found his release. When he was done, Draco carefully moved away from her and was amazed that she was still asleep, watching as she sighed contentedly and rolled onto her side. He managed to get her clothes back on and perform a Scourgify Charm on her bed. He had been a little out of control when he reached his climax; some of the sperm had leaked onto the bed.

Draco dressed quickly and took a moment to gaze longingly at Hermione. He stroked her cheek and kissed her, whispering "I love you," into her ear. Draco reluctantly left her room. As he made his way out of the Gryffindor dorm, he thanked his lucky stars that he'd been able to accomplish this. As he exited through the portrait, luck was still with him. The Fat Lady had left the portrait, so he didn't have to hear any of her smart remarks. Draco couldn't believe what he'd just done. He thought about what would've happened if he'd been caught, but he didn't care. Hermione Granger was worth it. He made it back to his dorm and it didn't take him long to fall into the first restful sleep he had in weeks.

Hermione woke up the next morning and stretched. She had the most amazing dream. Draco had come to her in the night and they had made love. He had even told her he loved her before he left. Hermione couldn't get over how real it all felt. She decided to keep this to herself and savor it for the rest of the day. _If only reality could be like dreams, _she thought as she rolled out of bed and walked over to the bathroom.

It was a lazy Sunday for most students at Hogwarts, except for the quidditch players. They always had intense practices on Sunday afternoons. This was where Ginny was going when she stopped by Hermione's room.

"Hey, I know you don't like being my "quidditch chick" but I just thought I'd check to see if you wanted to come to practice with me. It's cold, but the sun is out," Ginny said and smiled hopefully.

Hermione, still elated from the dream about Draco, smiled at her friend. "Let me grab my coat and a book, I'll be your "chick" today," she replied and chuckled. She knew there was a good possibility of seeing Draco and Patricia, but for some reason she felt like she could deal with it. She knew it was only a dream, yet it gave her hope.

"Goody-good! Just think of all the good gossip you'll be able to catch up on from the bints in the bleachers," Ginny said and grinned.

"Oh yeah, I'm breathless with excitement to hang out with them," Hermione said sarcastically.

They walked over to the quidditch pitch. Ginny went over to meet her fellow teammates while Hermione found a place on the bleachers. She made sure to bury her nose into her book and tuned out the noisy girls already seated. After a few minutes, she looked up because she felt as if someone was looking at her. As she peered from her book, she was shocked to see it was Draco. When their eyes met, he quickly looked away and flew to the other side of the quidditch pitch. Hermione bit her lip and closed her eyes, thinking about that delicious dream from the night before. She sighed quietly and went back to reading her book, but it was hard to concentrate.

Draco's heart began to beat faster as he watched Hermione walk into the quidditch pitch with her friend. He wondered if she remembered what had taken place the night before. If she did, did she think it was just a dream? As he hovered on his broom and stared at Hermione in the bleachers, he was caught off guard when she looked at him. All the thoughts of what he'd done to her the night before came flooding back. He quickly looked away before she could read too much in his expression.

Hermione was glad that Patricia and Nadine were seated on the other side; she didn't have to listen to Patricia gushing over Draco. After the Draco interruption, she managed to get back into her book and didn't look up until Madame Hooch came onto the field saying she had an announcement.

"Come on, all players gather round, I have an announcement," Madame Hooch said loudly.

As soon as the players were situated, she began to speak. "Starting tomorrow, I'll be taking an emergency leave. My mother has fallen ill and since I'm her only living kin I will be taking care of her. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but Hogwarts has retained someone very capable of coaching you in my absence."

The players looked at each other with questioning looks. Who would ever be able to replace Madame Hooch, they all wondered. Madame Hooch looked around and then said, "I think you are all familiar with this young man. May I present Hogwarts newest interim quidditch coach, Oliver Wood!"

Oliver Wood swept in on the latest and most wizard technologically advanced broom. He smiled broadly at everyone, saying a few words about how glad he was to be there and help out Madame Hooch since she was faced with her unfortunate situation.

Ginny glanced at Hermione and winked. Hermione surreptitiously flipped the middle finger while Ginny threw her head back and laughed. She couldn't wait to hear Hermione's reaction on Oliver Wood being at Hogwarts. The next few weeks were going to be interesting.

As Ginny and Hermione walked out of the quidditch pitch and back to the castle, Oliver caught up with them.

"It's great to see you! Hermione, I've wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the time we spent together at the ball. I was thinking it might be fun to get together sometime. I'd like to take you on a proper date," Oliver said as they walked together.

"I don't know if that's allowed Oliver. Aren't you now considered a member of Hogwarts faculty? There is a rule about student/instructor fraternization," Hermione said carefully, thinking of anything to get out of going out with Oliver.

"Nah, that doesn't apply to me. I'm only here for a few weeks at the most. I'm on temporary loan from the Ministry. If Madame Hooch isn't back in a few weeks, they'll start looking into hiring a coach for the rest of the school year," Oliver replied happily.

"Oh, I didn't realize they could do that," Hermione said.

"Yeah, so we won't be breaking any rules by going out. How does next Saturday sound?" Oliver asked hopefully.

Hermione could've hexed Ginny because she was enjoying this way too much. She saw how Ginny was almost pinching herself to keep from laughing at the situation Hermione was in. Hermione made a face at Ginny and then turned to Oliver with a small smile. "Sure Oliver, next Saturday would be delightful."

"Great, I guess we'll talk later and I'll let you know the time and place," Oliver replied happily.

"Sure, I'll see you later," Hermione said as she and Ginny walked back towards to the Gryffindor dorms.

Oliver hung back and watched as Hermione walked away. _Merlin that witch has such a sweet ass, _he thought. He was joined by Dean and Seamus and their eyes followed his. Oliver grinned at them and started bucking his hips and making slapping motions with his right hand. The two younger men burst out in laughter.

"What's that all about?" Dean asked.

"Have you seen the ass on Hermione Granger? I can't wait to tap that!" Oliver replied and smirked.

"Come on man, Hermione's our friend. Don't talk about her like that," Seamus said. He had always liked Oliver, but now that he was seeing this side of the older guy, he wasn't so sure.

"I was just joking. Hermione's my friend too, but I won't complain if she wants to be more than that, if you get my drift," Oliver said.

Dean and Seamus looked at each other and nodded. Yeah they got his drift. They both agreed Oliver Wood had turned into a turd.

Draco was making a quick getaway from Patricia when he overheard this conversation. He gripped the handle of his broom firmly, to stop himself from punching Oliver Wood out. He was glad when Seamus Finnegan spoke up for Hermione. Draco and Seamus had never been friends, but as far as he was concerned, Seamus moved up in his books. He hoped Hermione would be able to see through that slime Wood.

**Oliver Wood just has to come and try to ruin everything! I hope you enjoy this chapter; hopefully I can have another update by the following weekend.**

**As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the reviews and the alerts!**


	7. Chapter 7

Are You Gonna Be My Girl?

Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing related to Harry Potter.**

Hermione couldn't put her finger on it but there was something about Oliver Wood that didn't seem right. It was as if he was trying too hard or something. She hated the way he had caught her off guard and put her on the spot. She was definitely going to have to come up with an excuse not to go out with him next Saturday.

It was Friday afternoon and the Gryffindors, along with the Slytherins were at quidditch practice. Draco watched as Wood showed off all of these elaborate maneuvers on that flashy broom of his. Their new "coach" certainly thought highly of himself. Draco was also in a bad mood because it seemed like any move he made he was being criticized by Wood. This had gone on all week. He finally lost it when Wood started to lecture him in front of everyone on the proper way to hold the golden snitch once it was captured.

"Hey Wood, is there a problem?" Draco asked through clenched teeth.

"Not at all Malfoy, just trying to show you the proper technique," Wood replied with a smirk.

"This may come as a surprise to you, but I've been Slytherin's seeker since my second year at Hogwarts. I think I might have some idea of what proper technique constitutes," Draco said and smirked back.

Whatever but your technique seems a bit rusty and needs some updating," Wood answered.

Draco shook his head and flew down to the ground. He dismounted his broom and began to walk away from the quidditch pitch. This did not sit well with Oliver. He also flew down and dismounted his broom, following Draco.

"Hey Malfoy! What the fuck? We still have 30 minutes of practice left," Wood yelled at Draco as he walked away.

Draco stopped and turned around. "I've had enough for today thanks." With that, he started to walk back towards the castle.

Oliver forcefully strode up to Draco and whipped him around so that they were facing each other.

"Practice is over when I say it's over," Wood said slowly when Draco faced him. He had a tight grip on Draco's right shoulder as he said this.

Draco was caught by surprise, but quickly recovered. He took one look at Wood's hand on his shoulder and he pushed it off. He'd had enough of Wood's bullshit. He looked Wood in the eye and said in a low, deadly voice, "Don't you ever fucking touch me again. I don't know what your beef with me is, but I suggest you get over it. Now if you'll excuse me I have better things to do." Draco turned and once again started walking back to the castle.

Everyone else who was back at the quidditch pitch had stopped what they were doing and were watching Draco and Oliver with great interest. They had all noticed the way Oliver had been singling out Draco. The Gryffindors didn't care for Draco all that much, but he was a good quidditch player, in fact one of the best. He didn't deserve being harassed by Oliver.

Oliver looked behind him and saw that everyone was watching. He knew he needed to save face in front of his fellow Gryffindors. He strode up to Draco again and when he reached him, he pulled Draco by the collar of his quidditch jersey.

"It doesn't work that way Malfoy. You don't make the rules, I do. Now get your arse back on that field," Oliver snarled.

This did not sit well with Draco. He once again pushed Wood's hand off, calmly turned around and said quietly, "I thought I told you not to touch me again." After stating this, Draco shot a right hook straight to Wood's face.

Oliver fell to the ground, holding his bloody nose. "I think you broke my nose, you bloody git! Now you've really done it! Wait until the Headmistress hears about this, you can forget about being any part of Slytherin's team!"

"Do whatever you have to you miserable wanker. I've had enough," Draco spat and walked back towards the castle. _Merlin that felt good, _he thought. That punch was not only for Wood harassing all week but for the nasty things he said about Hermione too.

The remaining players on the field looked at each and fought the urge to laugh as Wood whined like a little girl. Oliver Wood certainly got what was coming to him; he had been harassing Malfoy all week. Seamus looked at Dean; they didn't like Oliver but they felt it was their duty to help him up. As Seamus took in Oliver's bloody face, he couldn't help thinking the arrogant git got what he deserved. He and Dean decided at that moment that they were going to speak up for Draco Malfoy if Oliver made good on his threats to getting him kicked off of Slytherin's team. No matter how much animosity they had for Malfoy over the years, what Wood had done was wrong. Seamus and Dean rolled their eyes at each other as Oliver continued to complain about the state of his nose as they walked with him to the infirmary for Madame Pomfrey to patch him up.

As the young men walked to the infirmary, Oliver told Seamus and Dean that he was okay and would be able to go alone. He thanked them as the younger men nodded and headed back to their dorm. Oliver watched as they walked away. He was so mad he could spit fire. Fucking Malfoy outdid him again. Malfoy had always been a bone of contention for Oliver. He wasn't sure when his intense dislike of Malfoy started but it was probably around the time Draco's father had bought his son a spot on Slytherin's quidditch team. Lucius Malfoy did this by buying the team new brooms. He grudgingly had to admit that Malfoy was a decent quidditch player but he still detested him.

Oliver also had something else up his sleeve in his ploy against Malfoy; Hermione Granger. He saw the way Malfoy was always staring at that prissy muggleborn Gryffindor. He was pretty sure Malfoy had a thing for Granger. Oliver had never been attracted to her when he was still at Hogwarts, but that changed when he saw her at the Ministry's New Year's Eve ball. Hermione Granger had filled out and was quite striking. He sure didn't want a girlfriend, but he figured if he could shag Granger he would be killing two birds with one stone: a decent piece of ass with a hot bird and making sure Malfoy found about it.

After the Draco/Oliver altercation, Ginny rushed back to Gryffindor's dorm. She burst into Hermione's bedroom where Hermione was relaxing in her bed and reading. She gave Ginny a startled look when she saw her.

"Gin, what's going on? Are you okay?" Hermione asked as she put her book aside and sat up.

"I'm great. You will not believe what happened at practice today!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Well don't keep me in suspense, spill," Hermione replied smiled at how excited Ginny was to share her news.

"Here's the thing. Oliver had been on Malfoy's case all week," Ginny started to say and when she said Draco's surname, Hermione's heart dropped a little. "Well Malfoy had finally had enough and was walking off the field when Oliver decided to confront him by grabbing him by the shoulder. Malfoy warned him not to touch him and tried walking away. Oliver didn't heed his warning and Malfoy decked him!"

"What happened afterwards? Did Oliver hit him back?" Hermione asked. She couldn't believe Draco and Oliver had fought. She hoped this didn't get Draco thrown off Slytherin's team.

Ginny shook her head and grinned. "No he didn't! Oliver was lying on the ground like a little bitch. He was whining that Malfoy had broken his nose. Malfoy kept on walking and never looked back. As much as I detest him, I don't blame Malfoy for doing what he did. Oliver deserved it."

"Do you think Draco will get kicked off of the team?" Hermione asked.

"I doubt it. If Oliver tries to make a stink, I've decided to speak up for Malfoy. I mean who's to say he won't turn on one of us next? Hey do you still have a date with him for tomorrow?" Ginny asked as she made a face.

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Ginny. "Yes, we're supposed to have lunch in Hogsmeade. I'm trying to think of something to get out of it."

"Maybe Oliver's little incident might be your way out. He might be too embarrassed to show his face. He knows how quickly word travels in Hogwarts. Oh that reminds me, I'll be going to dinner tomorrow night with Harry and my family. I decided not to sneak out and received permission from the Headmistress. I just feel it's getting too risky. I'm sure Professor McGonagall would approve if you wanted to come too," Ginny said eagerly.

Hermione was thoughtful. "I think I might do that. Yeah I understand what you mean about sneaking out. I'm not sure what Draco would do if he caught us again.

"Huh I can imagine what he'd do if he caught you in a compromising position," Ginny scoffed.

"Gin, he called me a filthy mudblood, he'd turn me in to Professor McGonagall quicker than I could blink," Hermione replied in an exasperated tone.

"Hermione, I still don't think Malfoy meant it. You must be blind not to notice how he stares at you when you're not looking," Ginny replied.

"I don't Gin. Sometimes I think maybe there's a chance of getting back with Draco, but then I see him with Patricia. Maybe I need to accept that we weren't meant to be and move on," Hermione said quietly.

"Something tells me Patricia and that space cadet Nadine are the ones that engineer meetings with Malfoy. I don't think he's into Patricia; he misses your hot arse," Ginny giggled.

"Whatever Gin. I think I'm going see the Headmistress and see if I could get a pass with you. I'm going to spend the weekend with my parents. I need to clear my head. Ugh, I just thought about it. What am I going to do about Oliver Wood?" Hermione asked, as she laughed at Gin's remark about her arse.

"Tell him you're experiencing PMS. I bet he runs for the Forbidden Forest," Ginny chuckled.

Hermione shook her head and laughed along with her. "You are too much, but that's not a bad idea. Let me get out of here before it's too late to get a pass."

"Sure. This has been one entertaining afternoon," Ginny said, still laughing as she walked back to her room.

Hermione smiled and made her way out of Gryffindor's dorm. She walked over to the Headmistress' office and had no problems getting permission to leave Hogwarts for the weekend. Now she just had to take care of Oliver Wood.

Turns out Hermione didn't have to come up with an excuse to get out of her date with Oliver. When she returned from the Headmistress office, there was an unfamiliar owl waiting at her bedroom window. She let the owl in and retrieved the note. When she opened it, the message was from Oliver.

_Hermione,_

_I'm sorry that I have to cancel our date on such short notice, but an emergency came up at the Department of Mysteries, so I'll be stuck at work for the weekend. I hope to make it up to you._

_Oliver_

Hermione smiled as she fed the owl a few treats. Ginny was right; Oliver was embarrassed to show his face! She quickly scribbled a return note.

_Oliver,_

_I'm sorry to hear that you have to work. I hope that you have a good weekend regardless._

_Hermione_

She gave the reply to the owl and sent the bird on its way. Maybe she would end up having a good weekend after all. Hermione watched the owl fly away and then shut her bedroom window. She grabbed a bag and started packing what she needed for a weekend with her parents. Ginny arrived at her room a few minutes later to see if Hermione had been able to obtain permission. When she saw Hermione with a bag, she smiled.

"I'm assuming the Headmistress gave you permission," Ginny asked.

Hermione nodded. "It'll be nice to get away for a day or so."

"Did you get a chance to talk to Oliver?" Ginny asked.

Hermione chuckled and told Ginny about the owl she had received from him. They had a good laugh about that as they walked out of Gryffindor's dormitory. When they arrived at the designated apparition point, they were surprised to see there were a few other students there too, including Draco.

Draco was going home for the weekend because of a dinner party his parents were holding for higher-ups of the Ministry of Magic. Lucius and Narcissa thought that it would make a better impression if Draco was present. He figured he wouldn't give his parents any grief; they were truly making an effort to redeem themselves in the wizarding world. Besides it wasn't as if he had anything better to do at Hogwarts. Patricia kept on dropping hints about accompanying her to Hogsmeade, but Draco would pretend not to notice. There was only one witch he wanted and at the moment she was only a few feet away from him, laughing with her friends.

Dean and Seamus were going home for the weekend too and were glad to see Ginny and Hermione. They were laughing as Seamus was doing impressions of Oliver Wood whining. Hermione looked to the side and noticed that Draco was staring at them, or was it at her? Their eyes locked for a few seconds and then they both looked away. When she looked again, Draco had disapparated.

Draco's heart was threatening to beat out of his chest when he arrived at Malfoy Manor. She was so close to him and he couldn't do anything about it. He went to his bedroom and collapsed on his bed, thinking about how Hermione's eyes had locked onto his. He wondered if she thought about him as often as he thought about her. Something was going to have to give. Draco wasn't sure how he was going to take it if Hermione would become more than friendly with Oliver Wood or any other bloke for that matter.

Hermione laughed along with her friends, but her heart sank when Draco left right after their eyes met. Maybe Ginny was right about Draco still wanting to be with her. She was beyond the point of caring what anyone thought and she was ready to tackle a relationship with Draco. If only she knew how he felt.

When Hermione arrived at home late Friday afternoon, her parents were thrilled to see her, but they were a bit dismayed. They told Hermione that they wished she had let them know she was coming ahead of time because they were going away for the weekend. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had made plans to go to a quaint bed and breakfast outside of London with another couple. When her mother wanted to cancel the trip, Hermione was adamant that she didn't want them to alter their plans because of her. She reassured them that she would be fine on her own.

The next morning Hermione watched as her parents backed out the driveway in their sedan. They waved to her as they left for their destination. She was happy for them, but disappointed at the same time. It was going to be one boring weekend. Hermione was contemplating returning to Hogwarts when she received an owl from her ex-boss from Mesmerize, Byron Clements. Curious as to what it could be, she read the message.

_Hermione,_

_Hadn't heard from you since the holidays and I wanted to make sure you were still alive! If you're up for it, there's a launch party for a new American muggle boy band tonight. It's going to be at PULSE nightclub in London. I, along with some of your former coworkers plan on being there at 9 pm. Miss you babe, hope to see you there!_

_Byron_

Hermione smiled as she read the message. Maybe this was a sign that she needed to get back into the social scene. Going to this party might lift her out of the funk she had been in the last month or so. She scribbled a quick reply to Byron as she gave his owl a few treats.

_Byron,_

_I'm alive and well. I will take you up on that offer and see you tonight! Thanks for thinking of me._

_Hermione_

This weekend was going to be salvaged after all, she thought as she looked through her closet for something to wear. As she surveyed the contents of her closet, Hermione shook her head. Nothing appealed to her, so she decided to go shopping. She took the Tube to the shopping district of London. When she arrived at her destination, Hermione set off for the different shops. She wanted to find something fun and funky for the party.

When Hermione arrived home from her shopping trip, she laid her purchases on the bed. She was very satisfied with what she had found. She had found a sheer black dress featuring a lovely lattice web along a simple, curved neckline and elegant sleeves. The dress' hem hit about mid-thigh and fit loosely. Hermione felt like she had stepped out of the decade of the sixties when she had tried it on at the shop. She had found a pair of the most adorable black booties with a kitten heel to wear with the dress; it accessorized it perfectly.

Taking a deep breath as she took one last look at her reflection, Hermione smiled. She had piled her hair on top of her head in a loose bun and wore large silver hoop earrings. She was giddy as she danced around the room, loving the feel of the silky material. She was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell, so she hurried downstairs. When Byron found out that she was going to join them at the party, he insisted on picking her up at home. She laughed when she opened the door and Byron let out a long wolf whistle.

"Dang girl, you look great! Are you ready to hit L-town?" Byron asked as he took Hermione's arm.

"Most definitely! Tonight is going to rock," Hermione said happily as Byron led her to a black stretch limousine. Hermione gave him a surprised look. "What's this?"

"Oh let's just say it's a perk of being an executive at Mesmerize," Byron said knowingly as he nodded and smiled.

The limousine driver opened the door for them and Hermione was excited to see plenty of her ex-coworkers were already inside. They greeted her enthusiastically and handed her a glass of champagne. Everyone complimented each other on their outfits. Hermione sat back and relaxed as the limousine left from her home. She was glad she had decided to go out.

Draco's jaw muscles were aching from smiling so much. He felt dizzy as he tried to remember all of the people he had been introduced to this evening. Lucius and Narcissa were ecstatic at the great turnout they had for their dinner party. Things were taking a good turn for them and they were slowly being accepted back into proper wizard circles.

When the last guests had departed, Draco went up to his bedroom. He removed his dress clothes and was about to put on a T-shirt and boxers, when he changed his mind. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved navy button-down shirt. Draco felt like he was smothering in his room and decided to disapparate to Diagon Alley. Maybe grabbing a drink at The Leaky Cauldron would clear his head.

The launch party for the American muggle boy band turned out to be a total dud! Hermione and her friends only stayed for about an hour to be sociable, and then they decided to hit the muggle clubs of London. By the time midnight rolled around, they were bored and were thinking of going home when Byron came up with an idea.

"Look, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not ready for this night to end. Let's go to The Leaky Cauldron for old times' sake," he said drunkenly.

Everyone shrugged and after a bit of discussion, figured why the hell not. They had the limousine driver drop them off a few blocks away and they walked to their destination. When they arrived at The Leaky Cauldron, they knew they had made the right decision. There was quite a crowd gathered and a band was playing decent covers of Weird Sisters and Tormented Toms tracks.

Hermione had quite a few glasses of champagne in the limousine, along with other drinks that were handed to her at the party and the clubs, so she was pretty hammered by the time they arrived at The Leaky Cauldron. She downed the glass of Firewhiskey someone handed to her and made her way to the dance floor. When she was about to get to the dance floor, someone lightly grabbed her arm. She screamed with delight when she saw it was Seamus.

"Seamus! What the fuck are you doing here?" Hermione shouted, slurring a little.

"I could ask the same. Girl, you are sloshed! Come on, let's go try and dance some of that alcohol off," Seamus said as he guided her to the dance floor. He saw many wizards giving appraising looks toward Hermione and knew she was in no condition to fend off unwanted advances.

Hermione and Seamus danced for a few songs and then they decided to take a break. Hermione was still feeling good, so Seamus figured he was going to have to get her to drink water or coffee, along with an anti-hangover draught. Before he did this though, he really had to take a piss, so he made Hermione promise that she was going to stay seated where he left her.

"I'll only be gone for a few minutes. Stay here and when I get back, I'll see about getting you home in one piece," Seamus said and he meant every word. Hermione was like a sister to him.

Hermione nodded and grinned happily. Seamus took a deep breath as he walked to the men's room. He had never seen Hermione in such a state. The best thing was for her was to go home and sleep it off.

Draco was sitting at the bar of The Leaky Cauldron and was about to take a sip of his Firewhiskey, when something unbelievable caught his eye. There was Hermione with Finnegan of all people! What the fuck was she trying to prove? He watched as Finnegan led her to a table and then he went to the men's room. Leaving his drink at the bar, Draco walked over to where Hermione was sitting.

"You're the last person I thought I'd see here tonight," Draco said sarcastically as his eyes roamed over her. _Good Godric, she probably has no idea of how hot she looks in that little dress!_ Draco was a sucker for little black dresses and this one was no exception. Imagine his shock when Hermione stood up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Draaccoooo! I didn't know you were going to be here! Let's dance!" Hermione slurred in his ear, her lips touching as she giggled softly.

Draco closed his eyes as he felt her hands on him and felt a tightening in his jeans when she touched his ear with her lips. _I know she's drunk, but fuck it_, he thought as his thoughts ran wild. He took Hermione by the hand and led her out of The Leaky Cauldron. Draco was relieved that no one paid them any mind as they walked out. He led her to a floo network and took them back to Malfoy Manor.

Seamus came out of the men's room and couldn't believe Hermione was gone. He looked everywhere for her, but no one knew where she'd gone. Seamus noticed that the party she had come in with was gone, so he hoped that she had left with them and they had brought her home. He was going to have to send an owl to her in the morning to make sure she was okay.

When they arrived in his bedroom at Malfoy Manor, Draco quickly placed a Silencing charm on his room. Hermione was giggling and immediately hopped onto his bed. She was jumping and letting herself fall and then she would get right back up, repeating her actions.

"Hahaha Draco's bed is a trampoline!" Hermione shouted.

Draco shook his head and had no clue as to what a trampoline was; he figured it had to be some sort of muggle device that resembled a king-sized bed. He went to a chest of drawers and pulled out a T-shirt. He then walked over to the bed and held his hand out to Hermione.

"Hermione, you need to stop jumping. I want you to get down from the bed. I have a T-shirt you can borrow to sleep in. Why don't you change in the bathroom and then I'll put you in one of the guest bedrooms so you can sleep this off," Draco said softly as he watched her.

As she listened to this, Hermione stopped jumping and regarded Draco thoughtfully. She took his hand and stepped off of the bed. When he handed her the T-shirt, Hermione tossed it aside and pulled him to her. She kissed him on the lips and wound her hands in his hair.

Draco reluctantly pulled away from her. "Hermione baby, you're drunk. Why don't you get some sleep?" he asked in a husky tone.

Hermione looked into his eyes and stood away from him. She pulled off her dress and kicked off her shoes. "I don't want to sleep Draco. I want you. I want you to make love to me," she said as she lay back on his bed, clad only in a lacy black demi bra and a barely there lace thong to match. She was propped up on her elbows and looking at him as she said this. Her hair had come undone and hung loosely, framing her delicate face.

Draco gulped at the sight before him. He knew he was taking advantage of her for a second time and it was wrong, but a man could only take so much. He climbed onto the bed and pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply. Like a man who had been thirsty for a long time, he was finally quenching his thirst for Hermione. She was the only woman who could bring out such animalistic urges in him. It made him even more excited when Hermione moaned with pleasure and moved her hands underneath his T-shirt. He pulled away from her lips and pulled off his T-shirt off, returning quickly to claim her lips. His erection was straining in his jeans, so he muttered a quick spell so his jeans were removed and cast to the floor. Draco rubbed his erection against Hermione's mound and put one of her hands on it. She immediately put her hand inside of his boxers and began to stroke his erection. Draco closed him eyes and reveled in the way her soft hand felt on his penis. He started to kiss her on her neck and moved to her breasts. He undid the front clasp of her bra and watched as her breasts spilled out. He immediately began lavishing attention to both of them.

"Draco, I'm so glad I'm with you tonight," Hermione whispered.

"I'm glad you're here too," Draco replied. With that he removed her bra and slowly eased her panties down. He threw her underwear aside and moved away from her. He smiled when she pouted as he removed her hand from his dick, but it was only because he wanted to remove his boxers. Draco joined her on the bed and positioned himself over her. He loved the way Hermione was looking at him right at that moment. He could almost believe that she loved him as much as he loved her.

"Are you ready love?" Draco asked softly.

Hermione nodded as she bit her lip. Draco almost sighed with relief as he entered her slowly and felt the familiar feel of her legs wrapping around his waist. He wanted this to last, so he started out thrusting slowly. He and Hermione moved together, her hips moving with his. How could she not see that they were meant to be together, Draco thought as he looked down at her, her eyes closed and her breath coming in short gasps, as she was about to reach her orgasm. He started to move faster and began to feel the tightening of his testicles; he knew he was close. Draco watched as Hermione's facial expression changed and he began to thrust faster and knew he had fulfilled her pleasure when he felt her vaginal walls clench and tighten around his dick. Seconds later he let out a long groan of pleasure as his seed spilled into her.

Draco pulled out of her and collapse on one side of the bed. Hermione reached over and kissed him lightly on the lips. She then turned on her side and fell asleep. He had to smile as he took in her sleeping form. Hermione had a serene expression and looked like a satisfied cat that had just gotten its fair share of cream. Draco would've liked another round of mind blowing sex, but he decided not to push it. He molded his body to hers and pulled her to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and lightly kissed her hair. He fell asleep after a few minutes and was the happiest he'd been in a long time.

Hermione woke up the next morning, rubbing her eyes and holding her aching head. As her eyes opened, she took in the unfamiliar surrounding before her. _Where the hell am I, _she thought as she looked around. It was at that moment that she saw Draco sleeping beside her. _Oh shit, how did this happen? _Hermione couldn't remember how she had ended up in what looked like Draco's bedroom. She was also dismayed to see she was naked. It wasn't hard to figure out that she had definitely had sex with him.

Slipping out of the bed as quietly as possible, she retrieved her clothing and quickly put them on. She looked at Draco as he slept and thought about how peaceful he looked. Her heart ached and she wanted nothing more to climb back into bed with him, but she decided that it would be best if she went home. This was getting way too complicated and she wasn't sure how to deal with it. Hermione needed to get home and take a hangover potion so she could think more clearly. Maybe then she would remember how she ended up in bed with Draco.

Draco woke up in a great mood, but it quickly faded away when he realized he was alone. He thought maybe Hermione had gone to use the bathroom, but when he checked, it was empty. It was then that he saw her clothes were gone. _She must've freaked when she woke up this morning,_ Draco thought. He had no idea what he was going to handle this. He wondered if he should send her an owl. They really needed to talk. He knew last night or the early morning hours rather had been too good to be true.

**So sorry about the delay, but once again college exams were breathing down my neck! Hope you are enjoying my little drama and there will be more to come.**

**Thank you again for all of the wonderful reviews, alerts, and PMs. I love hearing from you and appreciate the support.**


	8. Chapter 8

Are You Gonna Be My Girl?

Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing related to Harry Potter.**

Hermione disapparated to an alleyway near her home. She was relieved to see that her parents weren't home since they scheduled to return that afternoon. It would've been interesting to explain to them where she had been all night. She went up to her room and immediately went to a bureau of drawers. She opened the middle drawer and found a bottle of a hangover potion that she had bought last summer. Hermione drank it quickly, grimaced at the taste, and collapsed on her bed. It wasn't long when she realized what had happened the night before. She thought about Seamus and hoped he wouldn't be too upset with her. She was going to have to remember to thank him for looking out for her well-being. She could still smell Draco's scent on her skin and blushed when she remembered how she had seduced him. Merlin she was in love with him; the last few hours had been amazing. The sex was great, but what she loved most was waking up in his arms. His smooth yet sinewy arms draped around her waist and the feel of his broad chest against her back was wonderful to feel that morning. Hermione took a deep breath and inhaled, wanting to savor his scent, a light lime citrus and woodsy notes. She knew deep down it was some sort of outrageously expensive wizard cologne, but to her it was all Draco.

When he realized Hermione was gone, Draco returned to bed. He could still smell her as he lightly pressed his nose into the pillow she had used. He could smell green apples along with vanilla. He pulled the pillow against him, wishing that it was her. How he loved having her in his arms only a few moments ago. Why couldn't Hermione realize that every night could be like that? He decided to send an owl to her.

_Hermione,_

_I know what happened wasn't planned, but I'm glad we were together. We really need to talk. I have so much to tell you. I want to apologize for the way I treated you before the holidays and I really want to make it up to you. _

_Love, Draco_

After Hermione had taken a shower, she changed into an old T-shirt that had belonged to her father. She crawled into her bed and it wasn't long before she fell asleep. About an hour later, she was startled out of her deep sleep by something tapping at her bedroom window. She smiled when she saw it was Draco's owl as she let it in and retrieved her message. Her heart flip-flopped as she read Draco's message. _This was great! He still cares about me, _she thought happily. She quickly scribbled a reply.

_Draco,_

_I'm glad that you want to talk. I'm willing to put the last month behind us and we can move forward. I'll see you at school._

_Love, Hermione_

Draco's heart began to beat a little faster when he saw Hermione's owl at his bedroom window. He was beaming as he read her reply and he couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. After taking a quick shower, he changed into his robes. He went downstairs to let his parents know that he was going back to school. Lucius and Narcissa were having lunch and had just been discussing Draco. Lucius was pretty certain that he heard a female voice in Draco's room last night, but Narcissa only laughed and told him he had probably been dreaming. She didn't admit to her husband that she'd heard something too and then it stopped; Draco had probably cast a Silencing charm. She did notice that her son seemed to have an extra spring in his step and was happier than he was a few days ago. Narcissa wondered who the mystery witch was.

Hermione waited until her parents arrived home and had a late lunch with them. While she was waiting for them to return, she had received an owl from Seamus. He wanted to make sure she had made it home safely. Hermione wrote back quickly, thanking him for his concern and reassured him that she was at home. Her thoughts wandered over to what had occurred this weekend. This was going to be a real turning point for her and Draco. Over lunch, Mr. and Mrs. Granger noticed that Hermione seemed to be in an extremely good mood. Her mother wondered if it had something to do with a certain boy. She knew that Hermione had dated Ron Weasley for a short time, and dated a few other young men, but Hermione never really mentioned anyone special. Mrs. Granger only hoped that if there was a certain young man in her daughter's life, he made her happy and was good to her.

When she arrived back at Hogwarts, she rushed back to Gryffindor's dorm. As she was making her way to her room, she bumped into Ginny.

"Hey there! How was your weekend?" Ginny asked and giggled as Hermione pulled her into her room, shutting the door behind them.

"My weekend was superb, how was yours?" Hermione asked with a huge grin.

"Look at that grin! What happened? Did you see Draco?" Ginny asked.

"Oh I did more than see him," Hermione chuckled.

"You big slut, you totally slept with him! How did this happen?" Ginny asked incredulously as she pulled Hermione to sit on the bed next to her. Hermione proceeded to tell her about the events that had led up to her meeting up with Draco at The Leaky Cauldron. When she was done, Ginny stared at her in amazement.

"So you mean to tell me that you woke up in Draco Malfoy's bedroom at Malfoy Manor? Give me a moment to wrap my head around that. So what's going to happen now?" Ginny asked.

"He wants to talk and he apologized for the way he treated me before the holidays. Gin, I can't describe it. I'm so happy, excited, and scared all at the same time. I mean who would've ever thought I'd fall for Draco Malfoy?" Hermione replied a small smile and dreamy expression on her face.

"You never know what life is going to throw at you, but I'll put it like this. If you're happy I'm happy, but if he hurts you…," Ginny said and grinned.

"Thanks Gin. I think this going to be a huge turning point for us. I'm ready to take this wherever Draco wants it to go," Hermione said.

Ginny hugged her. "I'm glad you're so happy. I hope it all works out. Harry and Ron, along with most of Hogwarts will probably be freaked out for some time, but they'll get over it."

"Yeah I think that's the understatement of the year to say people will be shocked once they know Draco and I are together. I'm beyond caring what everyone else thinks or will say, as long as I can be with him," Hermione answered. Everything she had thought she wanted last summer, just having fun and not being bound to any guy, completely flew out the window when she thought about Draco.

"I'm going to go to my room and get ready for dinner. Are you coming with?" Ginny asked.

"Sure, I could use some food. I might need some fuel in my body for when Draco and I talk tonight," Hermione replied grinning mischievously.

Ginny only snorted and shook her head, laughing to herself. After the young women got ready for dinner, they walked to the Great Hall together. As they made their way there, they were joined by Seamus and Dean. Seamus grinned when he saw Hermione.

"Glad to see you made it back here in one piece. Man, this girl was hammered last night! Where did you go? I looked everywhere for you. Did you leave with your friends?" Seamus asked.

"Yes, I left with a concerned friend. He made sure I made it back safely. Thanks again Seamus for looking out for me," Hermione said and smiled.

"Anytime my friend, anytime. I was wary of the way some of those blokes were looking at you," Seamus replied and then his voice lowered. "Speaking of being wary of certain blokes, here come's Oliver Wood."

Hermione gave him a quizzical look and wondered why Seamus was mistrustful of Oliver. Had Oliver said something about her to Seamus? She watched as Oliver approached them.

"Hey everyone! Going to dinner? Mind if I join you, I'm so hungry I could eat a Hippogriff," Oliver chuckled. He fell into step beside Hermione. "Hermione, could I speak to you for a few minutes?"

Hermione gave a small shrug and stopped walking. "Sure Oliver. What is it?" Ginny looked at her and frowned, but Hermione mouthed she would catch up with her at The Great Hall.

Oliver watched as Ginny continued walking with Dean and Seamus. When they were out of earshot, he began to speak. "I wanted to let you know how much I regretted having to cancel our date. I was really looking forward to taking you out. I'd love to reschedule for next weekend," Oliver said as he pushed back a stray curl over Hermione's ear.

Hermione flinched. "Oliver I won't be able to go out with you next weekend."

"Why not? Is it homework or something? I can help you with that," Oliver said as he stopped walking and moved towards Hermione.

Hermione sensed that something had changed in Oliver's demeanor. Gone was the even-keeled, good-natured guy she thought she knew. He was replaced by someone with a predatory gleam in his eyes. She suddenly wished that she hadn't told Ginny and the others to go ahead without her. Oliver was scaring her.

"No, it's not homework or anything to do with Hogwarts. I-I've made other plans," Hermione said hesitantly as she looked up at him. She backed away as he came closer and closer to her, grimacing when she backed against the wall. She could've kicked herself for leaving her wand in her room. Hermione was going to have to think fast.

"What do you mean 'other plans'? I thought I made it clear that I was going to make it up to you!" Oliver said in a low, menacing voice as he placed his hands against the wall, trapping Hermione between his arms.

"Oliver what is wrong with you? It's not like you and I are a couple. For Merlin's sake I didn't even think you knew I existed until a few weeks ago," Hermione said quietly, not wanting to rile him up more.

"I definitely know you exist. Hell we don't even have to go on a date. I've seen the way you dress to go out, I know what kind of girl you are. Let's find an empty room. I bet you can show me a few tricks," Oliver said as he licked her ear in what he thought was a suggestive manner but Hermione was totally grossed out by his actions.

"Get away from me, you fucking git! I don't even like you!" Hermione exclaimed as she shoved him away.

Oliver was caught off-guard and stumbled back. Hermione took this chance to get away from him. She started to run, but it wasn't long before two strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.

"You didn't actually think you were going be able to outrun me, did you sweet thing? Who knew you were such a feisty little thing? I am going to fuck the feistiness out of you!" Oliver growled, breathing heavily.

Hermione tried to push her way out of his arms, but Oliver outweighed her by about 100 pounds and had so much more strength. Her only hope was that Ginny and the others would notice that she still hadn't shown up for dinner and would come looking for her. This hope began to diminish when Oliver dragged her into an empty room, slamming the door shut. She winced when he pulled her by her hair and shoved her against an old wooden table. Hermione gave a cry of pain when her tailbone made contact with the hard wood of the table. The only thought running through her head was that she was going to be raped. Silent tears ran down her cheeks as Oliver ripped off her T-shirt and bra, growling as he savagely grasped her breasts, twisting her nipples until she cried out in pain. He looked up when Hermione cried out and at that moment she realized something when she looked into his eyes. Oliver had been bewitched by a powerful spell. Why hadn't she noticed the glazed look in his eyes before? What was she going to do to try to stop him?

In the meantime, Draco was walking to The Great Hall when he thought he heard a noise in what was supposed to be an empty classroom. He had to make a decision if it was worth wasting his time checking this disturbance. He was hungry and anxious to see Hermione. Sighing, he decided that as Head Boy it was his duty, but he was going to be beyond pissed if it was Peeves the ghost up to his usual trickery.

Hermione figured her best defense would be to try to stall Oliver until the spell wore off; at least she hoped it would soon. She hadn't been this afraid since the War.

"Oliver honey, why don't we take it slow so we can enjoy each other?" Hermione asked in as calm a tone as she could manage.

"The lady wants it slow, huh? Well I don't do slow, I want to fuck you hard and fast, over and over again," Oliver hissed in her ear and licked her cheek.

"I'll show you how nice it can be. Let me unbutton your shirt-," Hermione started to say, when all of a sudden Oliver smacked her hard across the mouth. She cried out as she felt her bottom lip split and tasted blood.

"I told you, we're going to do this hard and fast! What part of that don't you understand you stupid bitch?" Oliver shouted.

When Draco reached the door of the room where the commotion was taking place, he froze when he heard shouting from within the room. His breath caught when he realized that it sounded like an angry male voice and a female crying. What the hell was going on in there? Having no idea what he was going to walk in on, Draco drew his wand as he carefully opened the door.

Hermione felt the blood trickling down her chin as it mixed with the tears that were coursing down her face. Oliver had stripped her clothing off and hungrily eyed her naked body. He held her down by her wrists, gripping them tightly in his large hands. Hermione kept her eyes shut and braced herself for what Oliver planned on doing. He had removed his clothing and Hermione was repulsed by his hairy torso and what was probably a hairy back. She cringed when he climbed on top of her and nudged her legs apart. How could this be happening? Hermione could feel his hot breath and his hairy body against her, bracing herself for what she knew was inevitable. He was breathing heavily and when she opened her eyes for a quick moment, she could see drool forming on the corners of his mouth. Shuddering, she shut her eyes again and tried to think of something to stop this. Suddenly the weight of Oliver's body was gone. When she opened her eyes, she couldn't believe what was happening.

Draco walked into the room and thought he was imagining things. Oliver Wood had Hermione pinned down on a table and was about to do the unthinkable. For a fleeting moment, Draco entertained a dark thought that maybe this was consensual, but pushed that out of his head when he saw the blood on Hermione's face. He didn't think twice as he quietly strode to the table and pulled Wood off of Hermione. Draco pushed him onto the floor and straddled Wood's chest, punching the older guy in the face as hard as he could, each punch causing Wood's head to knock against the rigid stone floor.

It took Hermione a few moments to regain her composure, so when she did she ran over to Draco.

"Draco, stop! You're going to kill him," Hermione cried out in frustration.

"Why should you care if I kill this bastard? He was going to rape you!" Draco growled.

Hermione nodded in agreement. "I know he was going to rape me, but I'm trying to tell you he's bewitched by something. Someone put a powerful spell on him. We need to get him to Madam Pomfrey."

Draco, breathing heavily and still straddling Wood's chest, looked into Wood's eyes. Hermione was right, Wood's eyes were glazed over and it was as if he never noticed the hard punches Draco had delivered to his face. He rose slowly and watched as Wood began to stand up, but then stumbled back to the floor. Draco looked at Hermione and his heart broke. Her bottom lip was cut and swollen, along with bruises forming on different parts of her body. He removed his robe and put it over her. Draco held her and looked into her eyes.

"Had he or did I get here in time?" Draco asked hesitantly as he lightly stroked her face.

Hermione shook her head. "You were here in time. Draco, I was never so afraid. I can't believe I left my dorm without my wand. I don't even want to think about what would've happened if you hadn't shown up."

"I'm here. No one is ever going to hurt you Hermione as long as you're with me. I suppose we need to get this scum to Madam Pomfrey. I think she needs to take a look at you too," Draco replied.

Draco did a quick spell to get Wood's clothes back on. The spell was starting to wear off because suddenly Oliver looked at him and Hermione in confusion.

"What am I doing here? Man, I feel like shit. My head is pounding and I think my nose is broken," Oliver said, wincing as he touched his face.

Draco crouched down next to him. "Oliver, do you remember anything?"

"Hey Malfoy, this is getting weirder by the second. Hermione? What happened to your face? Looks like someone beat you up too. What the hell is going on? The last thing I remember is coming to Hogwarts to take Madam Hooch's place while she's away. Damn, after that everything is a blur until now," Oliver said with a confused look.

Hermione crouched down next to Draco and faced Oliver. "Oliver, Draco and I think you've been under some kind of powerful spell. Let's get you to the Infirmary and maybe Madam Pomfrey can figure out what happened to you."

"Hermione, please tell me I didn't do that to your face. Oh Merlin, I'm so sorry. My parents raised me to never raise a hand against a woman," Oliver replied, visibly distressed.

"If it's any consolation I forgive you Oliver. You had no control over what you were doing. I just want to know who did this to you and why," Hermione said. She was still shaken by what had occurred, but tried to remain calm.

Draco nodded and said in a grim voice, "So do I, because when I get my hands on this person he or she will wish they'd never been born."

"As soon as my head stops pounding, I'm right there with you Malfoy. I just don't get who'd want to do such a thing," Oliver said as Draco put out a hand to help him up.

As they were coming out of the room, Ginny, Dean, and Seamus were walking towards them. They all had looks of alarm on their faces when they saw Hermione and Oliver.

"Hermione, what happened? Look at your face! We thought that it was taking long for you to get to dinner, so we've been here walking the halls. Where were you?" Ginny asked, concerned when she saw Hermione and Oliver's faces, but relieved too.

"Gin, we're going to get Oliver to the Infirmary. I'll be okay. I'll explain everything when I get back to our dorm," Hermione replied as she and Draco walked beside Oliver.

"Okay, let me know when you get back," Ginny said as she, Dean, and Seamus looked at each other. What in Merlin's beard happened?

When they arrived at the Infirmary, Madam Pomfrey quickly tended to Hermione and Oliver. Hermione's lip had stopped bleeding and the caretaker gave her a healing balm. Her breasts were sore and she knew her back was going to have a nasty bruise, but she didn't want Draco or Oliver to know, so she kept this to herself. Madam Pomfrey was able to discern that Oliver had been placed under the Imperius curse with an underlying sexual attraction charm.

"Oliver, do you remember anyone offering you something to eat or drink? Anything out of the ordinary?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

Oliver slowly shook his head. "Nothing comes to mind. Wait, I remember this. It was after Madam Pomfrey made the announcement I was taking her place. A young girl offered me an energy drink and I accepted it. I don't know if that helps."

"Did you know her or could you describe her?" Madam Pomfrey asked. If the energy drink was the culprit, it was quite possible that there was a Hogwarts student who was going to be in trouble. This student could be facing expulsion for a spell of this magnitude.

Draco and Hermione looked at each other. Who would have done something so reprehensible?

"Come to think of it, she was with a friend. I'm almost positive the friend called her Patricia. It's starting to come back to me. I remember them giggling and they kept telling me to drink it up. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but it seems like I can't remember anything that happened this past week," Oliver replied.

Draco had a dark look on his face. Fucking Patricia. That stupid little bitch had no idea of what she had done.

As if she could read his thoughts, Hermione shook her head and gently touched Draco's arm. "Draco, we don't know if it's her or not. Let Madam Pomfrey handle this."

"You're right Hermione, but something tells me Patricia is capable of pulling something like this," Draco growled.

After Madam Pomfrey was through tending to Oliver, she contacted Headmistress McGonagall to let her know what had occurred. The Headmistress immediately contacted Patricia to come to her office. She was going to have to examine Patricia's wand. Professor McGonagall sighed; this was definitely not something she enjoyed doing.

Patricia was in Hufflepuff's common room catching up on homework when she was summoned to the Headmistress' office. She wondered why she had to see the Headmistress at this hour. When she arrived at the office, she saw Draco was there.

"Draco! I haven't seen you all day. What are you doing here?" Patricia asked excitedly.

"I've been summoned by the Headmistress for a meeting. Follow me," Draco said, keeping his tone even, but inside he was seething. Nothing had been proven, but he was certain Patricia was the one who had cursed Oliver.

Patricia followed Draco to the Headmistress' office with a sinking feeling. This was all because of her jealousy and desire for Draco to be her boyfriend. Most of her classmates thought she was daft, but she was actually very observant. She knew deep down that Draco would never fall for her; she saw the way he looked at Hermione Granger. Her friend Nadine had noticed too and that was when they hatched up the plan to make Oliver Wood fall in love with Hermione. Patricia wondered how the Headmistress had found out. She was also distressed to see how distant Draco was with her. Any chance she may have had with him was gone.

When she walked into the office and was sternly greeted by the Headmistress, Patricia burst into tears. Professor McGonagall never had to check her wand; Patricia admitted everything. Draco watched her with a stoic expression. The young girl truly had no idea of the dangerous situation she had created. Hermione could've have been killed! When Patricia had finished telling her tale, the Headmistress sent her out so that she could decide her punishment.

"I would think she should be expelled for this," Draco said.

"Draco, I think we need to think about this more. Patricia is an impressionable young witch. I truly believe she didn't think about the implications of this," Susan Bones replied softly. Since she was the Head Girl, she also had to be present at this meeting.

"Ms. Bones is correct Mr. Malfoy. I think we need to take Patricia's age and maturity level into consideration. I think detention for the rest of the school year and a letter to her parents would be sufficient punishment. We need to remember we were all young once, although I would hope no other student would pull something like this," Professor McGonagall said and shook her head.

Patricia was called back in and was still sobbing heavily. She was certain she was going to be expelled, so it was a relief when she found out her punishment. Her parents were probably going to punish her for the rest of her natural born life, but at least she was going to be able to stay in school. At that moment, Patricia decided that maybe now was a good time to find new friends. This wasn't the first time one of Nadine's harebrained schemes had gotten her in trouble, but definitely not like this. She was also going to have to apologize to Hermione and Oliver.

When Hermione returned to the dorm, she told Ginny everything that had happened. She was in the middle of telling Ginny about Oliver and the drink he had accepted from Patricia, when there was a knock at her bedroom door. Hermione got up from her bed to answer it and smiled when she saw it was Draco.

"Hey, come in. I was just telling Gin about my adventure. What happened?" Hermione asked softly, glad to see Draco.

Draco's face lit up when she saw Hermione. He nodded at Ginny. "I don't want to intrude on your girl talk, but I wanted to let you know Patricia fessed up to everything."

"Wow. What's going to happen to her?" Hermione asked.

Draco told them about the punishment Patricia was going to receive. At first, he wanted her to be expelled for her actions, but was satisfied that she was going to learn her lesson. Ginny and Hermione agreed. It was true that Hermione could've been badly hurt or killed, but like Susan, they believed Patricia didn't realize how horrible the consequences could have been.

Ginny saw how Draco couldn't keep his eyes off of Hermione and decided this was her cue to go. "I think I'm going to go back to my room. This has certainly been an eventful evening!"

"That it has been! Goodnight Gin," Hermione said and smiled.

Draco smiled and also bid Ginny goodnight. When she was gone, he stood up from the chair he'd been sitting on and sat beside Hermione on her bed. He brushed a few stray curls away from her face and looked into her eyes. "Are you okay? Can I get you anything before I go back to my dorm?"

"I'm good Draco, just a little sore. I think I'm going to take a quick shower. I'd like it if you'd stay awhile,' Hermione replied.

"I can do that. Take your shower and I'll be here waiting for you," Draco said.

Hermione gave him a grateful smile and gathered her things. She went into the bathroom and undressed. When she was naked, she looked at herself in the full-length mirror on the wall adjacent to the door. She stifled a gasp as she realized how bruised her back, breasts, upper arms, and wrists were. She knew Oliver didn't have control over what he had done to her, but she was still glad to wash away his scent in the hot, steaming water of the shower. When she was done, she dried herself and dressed. She put on a light green long-sleeved t-shirt and flannel pajama bottoms, along with socks to match.

As she walked back into her bedroom, she couldn't describe the feeling of peace and happiness she had when she saw Draco reading one of her books, laying on his side in her bed. It was as if he belonged there. He looked up and smiled when he saw her. He sat up and made room for her. Hermione climbed into her bed and smiled back at him.

"Why don't I get you settled in and then I'll go back to my dorm so you can rest," Draco said gently.

"Draco, can you stay? I don't want to be alone tonight," Hermione replied softly.

"Sure, anything you want," Draco said and settled in beside her. He was so glad that she wanted him to stay. They ended up talking for the next hour, Draco apologizing for the way he treated her and Hermione telling how much she regretted not taking their relationship to the next level. He gave her a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Are you ready to take it to the next level? I know I want to be with you," Draco said.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I want to be with you too."

They settled into sleep and Draco pulled Hermione close to him. He felt her wince when he made contact with her back. He asked her what was wrong and she showed him the huge bruise on her back. Draco felt his fists clenched, it made him so angry knowing how much Oliver had hurt Hermione. Wood was damn lucky he had been under a curse, because Draco would've come close to killing him. He knew he loved Hermione, but at that moment he realized how deep his feelings were for her.

Hermione finally fell asleep and it wasn't long before Draco did too. When he woke up the next morning, he was a bit taken aback when he realized he was in Hermione's bedroom. It didn't take him long to recover from this small shock, when he saw her sleeping beside him. _She has no idea of how much I love her, _Draco thought as he watched her sleep. A few moments later, Hermione stirred and opened her eyes. She gave a sleepy smile when she saw him.

"Good morning," Hermione said and sat up. She rose from the bed and went to the bathroom. Closing the door, she peed quietly and accio'd her toothbrush, so she could quickly brush her teeth. She wanted to get back to Draco before they had to get ready for classes. When she stood up from the toilet, she grimaced because she was still a little stiff from the day before. Hermione gazed in the mirror and was relieved to see Madam Pomfrey's balm had healed the cut on her lip. When she was done, she walked back into her bedroom. She was disappointed to see that Draco wasn't there, but he had left her a note saying he had returned to his dorm to shower. He asked that she meet him there.

Still feeling groggy, Hermione decided to take another shower to refresh. She stripped and showered quickly, anxious to see Draco. When she was done, she dressed quickly and left her dorm room. She hadn't realized it was only 4 a.m., but she was glad. No one else in Gryffindor was up, so they wouldn't notice her leaving her dorm so early.

When she arrived at Draco's dorm, she gave the password and walked in. She went to Draco's bedroom and could hear the water running in his bathroom. She sat on his bed and waited for him. A few minutes later, Draco emerged with a towel wrapped around his waist. His face broke out in a huge smile when he saw Hermione.

"I'm sorry you caught me like this, I'll be dressed in a few minutes," Draco said.

"Don't be in such a hurry to get dressed," Hermione said as she took off her robe. Seeing Draco's well-defined and sculpted body clad only in a towel stirred desire in her.

Draco raised one eyebrow and gave her a surprised look. "Hermione, are you sure? I don't want to hurt you."

"Draco, I'm fine. Now get rid of that towel and get over here," Hermione replied as she removed the rest of her uniform.

"Your wish is my command my lady," Draco said as he let the towel fall to the floor. He strode over to where Hermione was waiting on his bed. He kissed her softly and then looked at her. "Tell me if I hurt you and we'll stop."

Hermione nodded and kissed him. Draco sighed into her mouth; this was so much more than he hoped for. She gently pushed him back onto his bed and straddled him. Draco gasped when he saw the bruises, but she only shook her head and put a finger on his lips. "It looks worse than it is," Hermione told him softly. She continued to kiss him on the lips, and then started to move to his neck and chest area. Draco closed his eyes and reveled in the touch of her hands and lips. Suddenly his eyes opened, when he felt her lips near his nether regions. She looked up at him with a mischievous look in her eyes. He knew what she was about to do.

"Love you don't have to do that. I mean I would enjoy it immensely…" Draco started to say and then was speechless when Hermione took him into her mouth. He'd had blowjobs before, but this was by far the most incredible. She lovingly licked his head and then took all of him into her mouth, as she cupped his balls. After a few minutes of this, Draco was ready to explode. He sat up and pulled away from her. Hermione looked at him with a confused and hurt expression.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh no, on the contrary you did everything right. I was this close to coming babe and I'm not ready. How about you get on top?" Draco asked as he caught his breath. He watched as Hermione straddled him again. He gently held onto her hips with his hands and groaned as she slowly impaled herself upon his stiff rod. She moved slowly and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Draco kissed her deeply, their tongues battling for dominance. Hermione began to move faster, as Draco moved one of his hands to her clit and began to massage it. She threw her head back and then looked back at Draco, her eyes half-closed and her breath coming in short gasps as she hit her climax. He could feel her vaginal walls contracting on his dick and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back, but he wanted this to last longer.

"Baby, can we do it from behind?" Draco asked, breathing heavily. He was so close.

"I guess so, I've never done it that way before," Hermione said hesitantly, still reeling a little from her orgasm.

"I'll show you, I promise you won't regret it," Draco grinned as he pulled out of Hermione. "Get on your knees."

Hermione did as she was told and watched as Draco got out of the bed. He positioned himself at the edge and gently pulled her to him. He lovingly rubbed her buttocks and kissed each cheek. He was stiffer than ever as he gazed at Hermione's sweet pussy waiting for him. He grabbed her hips and slowly entered her, groaning when he felt how tight and wet she was. His thrusts started out slow, but then the pace quickened. Hermione pushed against him, loving the way he felt inside her in this position. They would definitely have to do this again. It didn't take long for Draco to reach his peak and fill her up with his hot, steaming load. His spurts were so strong Hermione could feel it shooting up into her.

When he pulled out of her, Hermione turned and grinned at him. "That was one of the most extraordinary experiences I've ever had!"

"This is only the beginning," Draco grinned as he did a quick Scourgify charm and climbed back into the bed. They drifted off to sleep for about another two hours and then woke up. Hermione giggled as she found her clothes and Draco chased her around his bedroom. As they dressed, Hermione noticed Draco kept gazing at her, as if he couldn't believe she was actually there.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked as she brushed his hair behind one ear.

Draco let out a breath and took her hands in his. "I want to tell you something."

Hermione's breath caught; she hoped nothing was wrong. "What is it?"

"I love you," Draco replied and looked into her eyes.

"I love you too Draco Malfoy," Hermione said, relieved as she kissed him.

They made their way out of the dorm room and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. They smiled at each other when they received strange looks from their classmates, as they watched Draco and Hermione walking hand in hand.

When they reached the entrance of the Great Hall, they stopped and Draco looked at Hermione.

"Are you ready?"

"More than you know Draco, more than you know," Hermione said softly as they walked in.

**Sorry about the delay, but here it is! Hope you enjoyed Chapter 8. I know it sounds like it's complete, but I'm not ready to end this one just yet. I think this Dramione has a few more adventures in store for them, LOL. Thank you for your patience! Love hearing from all of you and once again, thank you for the reviews and alerts.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Disclaimer: Now ya'll should know by now I don't own any of this! Thank you Ms. J.K. Rowling for allowing us to be so creative with your characters!**

Although most students were a bit groggy in the morning, there was always quite a bit of chitter chatter in the Great Hall during breakfast. This was not the case when Draco and Hermione made their entrance. It seemed as if the couple never noticed that everyone had stopped speaking. Draco walked Hermione over to Gryffindor's table, kissed her on the cheek and then headed over to Slytherin's table. As he walked there, he looked at the other students and raised his eyebrows when he noticed the stares. The students quickly went back to what they were doing before, only now the Hogwarts gossip mill was going into overdrive.

Ginny calmly surveyed the scene around her. She had been seated at Gryffindor's table when Draco and Hermione had walked in. She knew this was going to cause a stir and was enjoying seeing the reactions of the student body-witnessing the entrance of probably the most unlikely couple ever to have graced the halls of Hogwarts. She smiled into her glass of pumpkin juice as Hermione sat down beside her.

"You're enjoying this way too much," Hermione said quietly, smiling and trying not to laugh.

"This is great, it's like I can actually see the little cogs in their brains working overtime as they try to process the thought of you and Draco being together," Ginny giggled.

"You know what? Let them talk. I'm at such a good place in my life at the moment. I feel like I can take on anything," Hermione replied as she fixed a bowl of cereal.

"I'm glad you're in that state of mind because it'll be- how can I put it? Quite interesting when Harry and Ron find out about your new beau," Ginny whispered into her ear. Suddenly she looked at the rest of the table. "What are you looking at? Eat your breakfast and get to class!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks Gin, you beat me to it. I knew seeing me with Draco would cause a reaction, but I didn't expect them to keep staring at me like I'm an animal in a muggle zoo," Hermione chuckled. She knew she was going to have to tell Harry and Ron, but she didn't want to think about that at the moment.

"Don't look now, but I think your 'friend' is headed our way," Ginny muttered.

Hermione gave her a quizzical look and then followed the direction of where Ginny was staring. Sure enough, Patricia was headed towards her. _Merlin what does she want? _Hermione thought.

Patricia kept taking deep breaths. She could do this and it was the right thing to do. She walked up to Hermione and managed to keep her voice steady as she said, "Hermione, excuse me for interrupting your breakfast, but I wanted to apologize to you for what happened with Oliver. I'm ashamed of my actions and again, I'm truly sorry. I never thought it would lead to something like that."

Hermione gave the younger girl a steady look. A part of her wanted to tell Patricia to take her apology and shove it up her arse, but as she looked into Patricia's eyes, she realized the girl was truly sorry for her actions. At that moment Hermione felt sorry for her. "I accept your apology Patricia. Dark magic isn't something to play with. I hope you learned your lesson."

"I did. I can assure you I did. Thank you, I'll get back to my table," Patricia gushed, obviously relieved as she hurriedly returned to Hufflepuff's table.

Ginny had a wry look on her face as she watched Patricia walk off. She then said, "I still think she's a damn bitch. You were way too easy on her."

"I do too Gin, but I'm feeling generous today so I decided to throw the bitch a bone," Hermione replied and returned the wry look.

Ginny began to laugh and shook her head. "I love it, only you would be generous towards a bitch that almost got you killed!"

Hermione was about to return a smart remark when they were interrupted by Seamus. He had woken up late and was just getting to breakfast. He positioned himself between Ginny and Hermione, nudging Ginny slightly. Ginny gave him a dirty look. "Yeah Seamus, why don't you have a seat? Would you like me to fix a plate for you too?

"Give it a rest Ginny. I want to know if the rumors flying around are true! Hermione are you with Malfoy? Let me feel your forehead, you look a little peaked. Maybe he has some kind of hex on you," Seamus said as he reached out to touch Hermione's forehead.

Hermione slapped his hand away. "Seamus, there's nothing wrong with me. Yes I'm with Draco and it is what it is. You can accept it and be my friend or you can keep gawking at me like I suddenly sprouted a pair of horns in my forehead!"

"Sheesh. Sorry I asked, but come on Hermione? Malfoy? Talk about oil and water. I don't have anything against it. I wish you all the happiness and all that other romantic crap you girls think about," Seamus said as he began piling a plate with bacon, scrambled eggs, ham, and toast.

Hermione sighed and wanted to roll her eyes, but she knew Seamus meant well and was only concerned about her well-being. She was about to get up from the table and head to class, when she noticed an older couple burst into the Great Hall, followed by Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ellison please come back to my office and we'll discuss this more," Professor McGonagall said as she caught up to them.

Mr. Ellison turned to the Headmistress. "We've had enough discussion. My mind and my wife's is made up. Patricia, get over here this instant!"

Patricia had a look of fear and worry, flinching as she heard her father's angry tone. When she reached her parents, the tears were rolling down her face. "I'm so sorry mum and dad, I never meant for any of this to happen. It was supposed to be a joke!"

"Ha ha that was one hell of a joke you pulled. Take a good look around you because this is the last time you'll be seeing Hogwarts!" Mr. Ellison exclaimed.

"Wh-what? What do you mean? I haven't been expelled; I'm just going to have detention for the rest of the year. Isn't that what you told me, Headmistress?" Patricia pleaded as she looked from her parents to Professor McGonagall.

The headmistress nodded. "That is what I had decided upon, but your parents feel that is not a sufficient punishment for your actions."

"What am I supposed to do if I have to leave Hogwarts?" Patricia asked.

"I'll tell you what you're supposed to do. Your mother and I were able to get you into Beauxbatons. An all-girls school is what you need. You've grown a little too boy crazy and obviously it's led you to make irrational judgments. All of your things have been packed up and brought to Beauxbatons," Mr. Ellison stated in a very stern tone. He meant business.

Patricia knew that tone well and she shouldn't push her luck, but she still tried to appeal to her mother. "Mum, please. I'll be good I promise."

Mrs. Ellison shook her head and gave Patricia a sad look. "I'm afraid you've gone too far this time Patty. I have to back your father up on this. Come now. Beauxbatons won't be that bad," she said as she reached for Patricia's hand.

Patricia only put her head down and sobbed as she was led out of the Great Hall by her parents. Professor McGonagall had a sad look on her face as she watched them walk out. She had tried to help Patricia, but the Ellisons were not backing down from their decision. Professor McGonagall sighed inwardly and hoped Patricia was going to be okay.

During this spectacle, the Great Hall had become silent again as everyone watched Patricia and her parents. After they were gone, conversations had started again, switching the focus from Draco and Hermione to Patricia's sorry plight.

Ginny slammed her hands on the table. "Best. Morning. Ever. People will be talking about this for years to come."

Seamus chewed his food thoughtfully and then swallowed before speaking. "I have to say I agree. I feel a wee bit sorry for the lass but she shouldn't have done that. She apologized to Oliver this morning before he left to go back to London. I know he was under a curse, but can't say I'm going to miss him. Glad Madam Hooch is back."

Hermione only shook her head and rose from her seat. "I don't know about everyone else, but I have classes to attend. Later."

Draco tuned out the drama around him and focused on only one, Hermione. She was all that mattered. He watched as she rose from Gryffindor's table. He left his table and followed her out of the Great Hall. He fell into step beside her and his heart skipped a beat when she turned, smiling at him.

"That was some morning," Hermione said.

"Let them have their drama. Can I walk you to class?" Draco asked and grinned.

"Sure," Hermione replied. They walked for a few moments and then Hermione spoke again. "Well that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I don't think Patricia had a very good morning though."

Draco chuckled, but then said in a serious tone. "That bitch got what was coming to her. I mean it Hermione. When I think about the state of mind Wood was in, he could've seriously hurt or killed you. I'm glad her parents took her out of Hogwarts. You were way too kind to accept her apology."

Hermione nodded. "I see where you're coming from Draco, but I figure it took a lot of guts for her to come up to me and apologize. Seamus mentioned that she also apologized to Oliver earlier today. He's going back to London, Madam Hooch has returned."

"Good. I know Wood was cursed, but I'm glad he's leaving. As for you, you're too sweet and forgiving but that's probably why I love you," Draco said quietly as he stopped walking and pulled Hermione to him. He gave her a passionate kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth as she gasped in surprise. When they came up for air, Hermione giggled.

"Draco, everyone is staring at us. I need to get to class and so do you!" Hermione scolded but a huge grin was spreading across her face.

"Let them stare, I want everyone to know you're mine," Draco said and kissed her cheek. As she was about to walk into her class, he lightly grabbed her arm and turned her towards him.

"What is it Draco? Class is about to begin," Hermione said and then stopped as his eyes bored into hers.

"I want you to know that I want nothing more than to take you back to my dorm and make love for the whole day. Just think about that for the rest of day-I know I will," Draco said mischievously as he backed away from her, grinning from ear to ear. He loved watching the blush spread across Hermione's lovely face.

Hermione bit her bottom lip and walked into her Ancient Runes class. She sat at her desk and took out her books. She then took out a quill and prepared to take notes as the professor began his lecture, but by the end of the class, Hermione was shocked to realize she hadn't written a single thing! She daydreamed about Draco the whole time. _What is happening to me? _ she asked herself dreamily as she walked to her next class.

Draco and Hermione had made a decision. Now that everyone knew they were a couple, they would have to be more cautious about slipping in and out of each other's dorm rooms. They agreed to meet on Thursday and Friday nights in the dorms, and then spend the weekend together unless one had a family obligation. If it were up to Draco, he would have Hermione with him 24/7, but she felt this arrangement would work out because they would have something to look forward to. Delicious shivers ran through her body when she thought about Draco and how much he cared about her. It took every bit of her self-restraint not be with him every night like when they had first started sleeping together, but Hermione thought that it was better this way. Filch and his cat Mrs. Norris was always on the lookout for students sneaking around. He was so nosy and Hermione caught him eyeing her and Draco suspiciously when they walked hand-in-hand. Filch was on the alert now that it was official that they were a couple. It would probably make the old bastard's year if he caught her sneaking out of Draco's dorm or vice versa.

It was Wednesday night and Hermione was in her room doing homework. She was laughing to herself when she saw Draco's owl at her window. This was the third message he'd sent begging her to meet him that night.

_Love,_

_I don't know if I'll be able to make it through the night. My balls are the size of boulders, I want you so bad. Tell me you'll come, I don't know if I can wait until tomorrow night. I love you, I need you._

_D._

Hermione quickly scribbled a message back.

_Patience is a virtue._

_H._

She giggled as she watched the owl fly back to Draco's dorm. She loved teasing him and couldn't wait to find out how he would 'punish' her for it. Ginny walked in at that moment and raised her eyebrows at the owl flying away.

"So what's the count tonight?" she asked.

"That was the third one," Hermione chuckled.

"I'll be shocked if one of you doesn't give in tonight. It's so cute how you can't keep your hands off of each other. Merlin I can't believe I just said that about you and Draco Malfoy. It still seems so surreal to think about you together. Speaking of that, when do you plan to tell Harry and Ron?" Ginny asked.

"Ugh, I've been thinking about that. What do you think would be the best way to tell them I'm Draco's girlfriend?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about it too. How about you and Draco join us for dinner Saturday night? Harry and I are double dating with Ron and the witch he's been seeing since New Year's, Clarissa. I'll just tell them that you and your date will be joining us," Ginny replied.

"You make it sound so simple Gin. What am I going to do when the wands start coming out and the hexes are flying?" Hermione asked with a dubious look.

"We'll be in a public place. We're meeting at a new restaurant in Diagon Alley. It's some kind of quidditch sports bar. Apparently it's all the rage in Ireland and the States. Harry will be on his best behavior and so will Ron because he wants to make a good impression for Clarissa. This is going to work out perfectly," Ginny said reassuringly and patted her hand.

"I'll run it by Draco and see if he's willing. I know if we want to make this work I'll have to meet his family and friends too. I dread seeing Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy again. I don't think they'll be too thrilled to see their son with a mudblood," Hermione scoffed, but this was tearing her up inside.

"Don't you ever say that horrible word in front of me! Hermione you are such an incredible person, beautiful on the inside and out! If the Malfoy's can't see that, well the hell with them. If anything, you're too good for Draco," Ginny gushed.

"Gin don't say that. I can't explain what Draco and I share. I would've never imagined I'd have a connection with anyone like I do with him. I guess we can't choose who we fall in love with. He means so much to me and this might sound crazy, but sometimes I think he's the one," Hermione said.

"I'm sorry that slipped out, sometimes I let the past overrule my thoughts. I don't think it's crazy to believe Draco's the one. That's how I feel about Harry. Maybe we're just lucky to find our soul mates early," Ginny answered.

"I hope you're right Gin. I feel so amazing when I'm with him. Is that how it is with Harry?" Hermione asked with a dreamy smile.

Ginny nodded and smiled back. "Exactly. I guess it's something you really can't explain until you've actually experienced it. I didn't realize it was so late. I'm going to bed. Just think about Saturday night. You don't have to make a decision, but I think the longer you prolong not telling the guys about Draco, the harder it'll be to keep them from finding out from someone other than you."

"I get it Gin. I definitely want to be the one to tell them face-to-face. I'll see what Draco wants to do," Hermione replied.

"Sounds good. Goodnight and I'll see you in the morning," Ginny said as she walked out, closing Hermione's door.

Hermione sighed and began to put her books away, arranging them for the next day of classes. She went into her bathroom and brushed her teeth, making sure to floss. When she was done, she climbed into her bed and it wasn't long before she fell asleep. As she dozed off it occurred to her that Draco had never replied to the last message she sent. _Maybe he finally got the message that she wasn't going to break their agreement, _Hermione thought as she slipped off into dreamland.

At about 1:00 am for reasons she couldn't explain, Hermione found she was awake. Thinking maybe reading would one of her textbooks would help her get back to sleep, she did wandless magic and a lamp switched on beside her bed. As she started to walk towards her book bag, she received the biggest surprise of her life. Draco was sitting in a chair in the corner of her bedroom watching her with a slight smirk.

"Draco! What are you doing here? Why aren't you in your dorm?" Hermione hissed once she got over the shock of finding him in her mind.

"I couldn't sleep babe, so I decided to come to your room and watch you sleep. Do you know you make the sweetest little sighs?" Draco asked and grinned.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You sir need to get back to your dorm. We have an agreement!"

Draco walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pushed her hair aside and placed a kiss on the back of her neck. "Please don't make me leave love. I just want to be near you. We don't have to do anything; can't I sleep with you for a few hours? I've missed you."

Hermione closed her eyes and melted into him. Merlin he had such an effect on her. "Fine you can stay for a few hours, but then you'll need to go. You were lucky Filch or Mrs. Norris didn't spot you coming here."

"I'm not worried about those stupid arses. I'll make up some bizarre story if Filch confronts me. You forget that I'm Head Boy," Draco said smugly as he pulled her even closer.

"Of course you'll be able to talk your way out of it, but let's not push our luck Draco. We only have a few months of school left. Come on, let's get to bed. The morning will be here before we know it," Hermione said. She was secretly pleased that Draco had come to her. It felt so good to have him close.

They climbed into Hermione's bed and snuggled. Hermione settled on her side and Draco pulled her to his chest. Draco nuzzled her shoulder with his chin and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight love," he said.

"Goodnight Draco," Hermione replied. As she tried to fall asleep again, she was distracted by something: Draco's very erect penis against her buttocks.

"Draco," Hermione whispered.

"What love?" Draco whispered back.

"What am I feeling against my rear end?" Hermione asked.

Draco chuckled. "Don't be daft love, you know exactly what that is," he said as he took one of her hands and place it on his erection.

Hermione turned over and was about to say something when her mouth was covered by Draco's. A part of her wanted to resist him, but she gave in to him. It had only been two nights that they had been away from each other, but to them it felt like an eternity. When Draco broke their kiss and moved to plant small kisses on her neck, she said, " Draco we had an agreement. We have to wait until tomorrow night."

Draco groaned. "I couldn't wait any longer. Technically it is tomorrow. Please let me make love to you Hermione. I've missed you so much, I need you, I love you," he said with a pleading look as his smoldering gray eyes looked deep into her trusting brown orbs.

"Oh Draco," Hermione whispered and succumbed to him. She let him remove her nightgown and then she removed his T-shirt and pajama bottoms. They lay side by side, kissing some more as they ran their hands over each other's bodies. As she always did before they had sex, Hermione silently uttered a contraception and silencing charm. When she had started to sleep with Ron, she had also started taking the muggle contraceptive, the Pill. She still took it every month, but also continued the contraception charm. She would rather be safe than sorry.

They kissed for a few moments and continued to explore each other's bodies, when Draco stopped as his hand rubbed Hermione's bare back.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"I'm just thinking about that bruise on your back. I don't want to hurt you," Draco said gently as he rubbed her cheek.

"It isn't as bad as it was, I hardly feel it and the bruise is starting to fade, see for yourself," Hermione whispered as she turned over. When she was on her stomach, Draco ran his fingertips over the bruise and placed a small kiss on it.

"Is that better?" Draco asked as Hermione turned over to kiss him again.

"Much better, thank you," Hermione whispered as she planted tiny kisses on his chest. Draco began to kiss her again and maneuvered their bodies so she was underneath him. He pushed his erection against her and she responded by pushing up her hips. Despite her earlier protests she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. He removed her underwear and promptly inserted two fingers, lightly probing her.

"For someone who didn't want to do this, you sure are wet," Draco said in a teasing voice.

"What are you going to do about that?" Hermione asked, her eyes issuing a challenge.

Draco ripped off his boxers and threw them to the floor. He removed his fingers and entered her with one swift thrust. He enjoyed seeing Hermione gasp and the surprise in her eyes. "That's what I'm going to do about that," Draco growled as he drove into her. Hermione moaned as she ran her hands through his soft hair while he nuzzled her neck.

"I couldn't wait any longer," Draco said softly into her ear.

"I'm glad you're here, this feels so good. I love having you inside of me," Hermione whispered.

Draco responded by kissing her deeply; he got even more turned on when she spoke to him like that. His thrusts became faster and deeper as Hermione moved beneath him, her hips coming up to meet his movements. He had never been so in sync with any other witch; they were made for each other. He pulled away so he could look at her as he pushed into her; her eyes were half-closed and she was whimpering softly; Draco knew she was getting close and so was he.

When their releases arrived simultaneously, Draco felt as if a dam had burst within him, he came so hard and quickly. Hermione lightly bit into his shoulder as she climaxed. This orgasm was earth shattering. She just knew Draco was the only wizard who could make her feel this way.

Draco slowly pulled away from her and did a quick Scourgify charm. He lay on his side beside her and smiled at Hermione as she turned to face him. She smiled back when he intertwined his hand with hers, bringing it to his mouth and kissing her hand.

"I love you, I'm glad you didn't kick me out," Draco said softly.

"I love you too. That was pretty amazing," Hermione grinned.

"I think we just keep getting better and better. Let's have another go to see," Draco said with a devilish grin as he pulled her towards him, kissing her again.

Hermione groaned as she pulled away. "Draco, it's almost 4 a.m. As much as I want to do this again, you need to get back to your dorm."

"You're right. You'll be at my dorm later tonight, right?" Draco asked as he rose from her bed and gathered his clothes which had been strewn about the room.

"No, we already used our designated night, you'll have to wait until Friday night," Hermione said in a serious tone, but was biting her bottom lip not to giggle.

"You little tease. Come here and give me a goodbye kiss," Draco said and pulled her to him again. He kissed her softly and then began kissing her more sensuously, pushing her down into the bed. Hermione laughed and gently pushed him away.

"You need to get out of here before my classmates start moving about!" she scolded.

"Fine, I'm going. I'll see you in a few hours love," Draco said as he finished putting on his clothes.

"Okay watch out for Filch and Mrs. Norris, "Hermione replied as she walked with him to her door. Draco gave her a smile and slowly walked away from her dorm room. She was relieved to see that the dorm looked empty and it was quiet.

Draco smiled to himself; this wasn't his first time sneaking out of Gryffindor's dorms. One day he would confess to Hermione about the night he snuck into her room and made love to her while she slept and probably thought she was dreaming. Draco was so happy that they were out in the open now. He couldn't help feeling that Hermione was the "one."

As he walked back to his dorm, he thought about his parents and how they were always pushing him to meet these pureblood witches. Not his mother so much, it was more Lucius who wanted him to have a pureblood bride. Draco had met some really beautiful women recently, but not one of them could hold a candle to Hermione. Sure there may have been more beautiful women than her, but for Draco most of these witches seemed cold and calculating for such a young age. Perhaps he would've grown to love one over time, but he knew the majority of the witches were only interested in the Malfoy fortune. Draco knew Hermione didn't care about any of that and loved him for who he was, not what his family's fortune was worth. He really wanted Hermione to meet his parents, but he also knew this was something he'd have to approach with caution. His parents weren't going to be happy when they found out, but they were going to have to accept that Draco loved her. He wasn't about to let Hermione slip away.

Hermione slipped back into bed and sighed. She looked at her watch and saw that it was 4:15 a.m. At least she would be able to get about 3 hours of sleep before her day started. Feeling very satisfied, she fell into a dreamless sleep and didn't wake up until her alarm rang at 7:15 a.m.

The day couldn't go quickly enough for Draco or Hermione. When classes ended, they both ate a quick dinner in the Great Hall and hurried back to their respective dorms. As soon as she walked in, Hermione shed her uniform and took a long shower. When she was done, she applied the apple-scented lotion Draco couldn't seem to get enough of. She giggled as she slipped on a green bra and thong; she just knew he'd love the Slytherin colors. Changing into a pair of jeans and a muggle sweatshirt from the university her parents attended, Hermione took a quick look in the mirror and left her dorm room, making her way over to Draco.

Draco jumped into the shower as soon as he returned to his dorm. When he was done, he dried his hair quickly and then applied some of the cologne Hermione liked so much. It was something his mother had picked up for him in Paris. He changed into his favorite Levis and a black T-shirt. He looked at his watch and smiled; only a few more minutes until Hermione would arrive. Draco settled on the sofa in the common room, trying to concentrate on a book about past quidditch players, but he couldn't concentrate. Hermione consumed his mind.

Hermione made it to Draco's dorm room without incident. She gave the password and let herself in. She smiled when she saw Draco sprawled on the sofa. When he heard her walk in, he put aside the book he'd been reading and met her halfway. Draco took her in his arms and embraced her warmly. Hermione snuggled into him and gave him a peck on the lips.

"Mm, I waited all the day for this," Hermione murmured as she lightly nuzzled his neck, breathing in his exquisite scent.

"I did too love," Draco replied as he kissed her hair and took in her scent of fresh apples.

They walked over to the sofa and sat down. Draco turned to Hermione and smiled at her. Hermione smiled back and picked up the book he'd been reading.

"'Quidditch All-Stars?' I love to read but I don't know about this one," Hermione said and giggled.

"Don't laugh at my choice of reading material, little minx. You should talk. Didn't I see a few Gilderoy Lockhart books in your bedroom?" Draco teased as he took his book from her and pulled her to him.

"I've been meaning to get rid of those! What a git he turned out to be," Hermione groaned.

"What a fraud! I was glad when he left Hogwarts for good. Let's change the subject, I'm tired of talking about that wanker," Draco scoffed.

"Gladly! Well did you have plans for the weekend?" Hermione asked lightly.

"I hadn't really given it much thought. I was thinking we could spend the day in Hogsmeade on Saturday and just hang out here. Did you have something in mind?" Draco replied, but was really thinking he'd like to stay in his dorm and shag her all weekend.

Hermione bit her bottom lip and gave him a small smile. "Actually I did. Ginny wanted to know if we wanted to meet her and Harry for dinner on Saturday. Ron and his girlfriend are going to be there too."

Draco groaned. "Dinner with Potter and Weasley? I don't know Hermione."

"Draco, it would mean so much to me. I want them to know we're together. Who knows? Maybe you might even become friends," Hermione said lightly and smiled.

Intertwining his hands with hers, Draco sighed. "I wouldn't go that far, but if it means this much to you I'll go. I suppose this is a step in the right direction if we're going to be together."

Hermione nodded and inwardly sighed with relief. He was going to do it. "I agree. Draco, Harry and Ron are a big part of my life and so are you. This is so important to me. Thank you for doing this."

"I'd do anything for you Hermione," Draco said, looking at Hermione and brushing a stray curl from her face. She looked back at him, her lips slightly parted. They leaned forward at the same time and kissed, Draco's hands framing her face. When they pulled apart, Draco was looking at her with a strange expression.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"It's just that you're so beautiful, I wish we could stay like this forever," Draco said softly.

"Draco, thank you. I love you," Hermione replied and kissed him again.

"I love you too," Draco whispered and continued kissing her. It wasn't long before their shirts were off. When he saw her green lingerie, Draco lightly ran his hands over the fabric and smiled.

"Interesting choice of colors love, I like it."

"I bought it with you in mind," Hermione said.

"I better be the only wizard you buy underwear for," Draco growled as he quickly undid the front closure of her bra, burying his face in her breasts when they spilled out.

Hermione didn't have time to reply as she gasped when she felt his warm mouth on her breasts and buried her hands in his hair, pulling him closer. They quickly removed the rest of their clothing. Hermione thought Draco wanted to go to his bedroom, but he shook his head and led her to the rug in front of the fireplace of the common room. He dimmed the lights of the room to where the glow of the fire was the only source of illumination. He started to kiss her again and they slowly made their way down to the soft rug. Hermione lay beneath him and looked up lovingly at him. They took their time exploring each other's bodies. He ran his hands over her gentle curves while Hermione kissed his chest. Draco looked into her eyes as he slowly entered her. Hermione gave a soft intake of breath as she placed her hands on his broad shoulders. He lightly grasped her hips, rubbing his thumbs on her hipbones.

Draco watched her as he slowly moved within her, emitting a slight hiss when her hips thrust up to meet him. All of their lovemaking sessions were memorable, but this one would definitely be at the top of the list. He loved the way the radiance of the fire cast itself on Hermione. They continued to move together, making love slowly; they had the whole night. When their release came, he cried out her name as she did his. Afterwards, Hermione ended up falling asleep on his chest while Draco softly stroked her hair. He stayed awake for a few minutes and looked down at the beautiful girl before him. _I must be crazy to have agreed to meet Potty and Weaselbee for dinner, _Draco thought. He gave a small chuckle and kissed Hermione on the top of her head as she stirred slightly. Draco knew at that moment he'd so anything for her, even break bread with her friends who hated him. He soon fell asleep.

Startled from his sleep, Draco soon recovered when he felt Hermione kissing him awake. No words were spoken as she took over and moved on top of him. Draco watched her with half-closed eyes, again loving the way the light of the fire reflected her curves. It wasn't long before he was hard and ready. Hermione smiled down at him as she slowly took him inside of her. Draco groaned and gripped her hips so he could push himself up into her, but she slapped his hands away, giggling softly. She slowly moved up and down for a few minutes, loving the look of frustration on his face; she knew he liked being in control, but it was her turn. Hermione let this go for a bit longer and then decided to put him out of his misery, by letting him grab her hips. Draco gripped her hips and buried himself to the hilt, loving her look of shock as she took in his huge shaft. Without pulling out of her, he switched positions so he was on top again, pumping with fast jabs. She had him so worked up. Hermione loved getting him riled up and soon had her legs wrapped around his waist, meeting every thrust. It wasn't long before she felt the pressure build up within her, warmth spreading through her stomach and then the tingling sensation moving all the way down to her toes. She again cried out his name when her release came. Draco watched her and soon felt the buildup of pressure within him too. When he came it was in hard, sharp bursts and he growled out her name as his seed shot up into her. As soon as he gained his bearings, he pulled out of her and positioned himself beside her. Draco kissed Hermione and wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close to him, so her head was resting on his chest.

"Hmm I think I like it when you make the first move Ms. Granger," Draco murmured as he lightly stroked her hair.

"I bet you did. I like being on top," Hermione smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. When she did that, Draco cupped her chin with one hand and kissed her passionately. When they broke apart to catch their breath, Hermione looked at her watch and grimaced.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's almost 3 a.m. I better get back to my dorm."

"I wish you could spend the night, I really enjoy waking up with you next to me babe," Draco groaned.

"I do too Draco, but I don't want to get into trouble. I don't want to risk anything happening since we're only a few months away from graduating," Hermione said with tinges of regret in her voice. She reluctantly got up from her comfortable position and started gathering her clothes.

She had found her panties, jeans and T-shirt, but she couldn't find her bra. She burst out in laughter when Draco had placed her bra on his chest, strutting around like he was a supermodel. He started laughing too and tossed it to her. Hermione loved this side of Draco. She knew he was probably really relaxed with her to let her see this part of his personality. When she had finished dressing, Draco pulled on a pair of boxers and walked with her to the door. She turned to him and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Thank you for another wonderful evening and for agreeing to go to dinner Saturday. It really means a lot to me," Hermione said.

"You're most welcome love. I'll do anything for you. I'll see you at breakfast I suppose," Draco replied as hugged her tightly.

"Yes you will. Goodnight or should I say good morning," Hermione giggled as he grudgingly let her go so she could leave. She almost stayed when she saw the longing in his eyes, but she knew she had to get back to her dorm.

Draco watched her walk away and closed his door. He leaned against it and sighed, running his hands through his hair. What a fantastic night he just had. He went to his bedroom and plopped into his bed, smiling as he thought about Hermione. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

Friday went by quickly; Draco and Hermione were able to get permission from the Headmistress to go to London for the weekend, so they were set. When classes were over, Hermione went straight to Draco's dorm. She giggled when she saw the trail of Draco's clothes on the floor. She heard the shower running and walked into the bathroom. She shed her clothes and walked into the stall with Draco. When he saw her there, he pulled her to him and kissed with all the pent-up passion he'd been saving all day for her. Hermione kissed him back just as passionately for she had been waiting for this moment too. He gently guided her until her back was against the wall of the stall. Looking into her eyes and using one arm, Draco lifted her legs by grasping her behind her knees and wrapped them around his waist. Hermione gasped with ecstasy as he plunged into her heat. Their lovemaking was fast and furious, almost animalistic in its intensity. Seeing her nude body and knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her made Draco feel like he couldn't get enough of her. While he thrust into her, Draco was rubbing against her most sensitive parts and it wasn't long before Hermione reached her climax. He closed his eyes as he felt her walls tightening around him and he couldn't hold back any longer. He emitted a loud groan as he reached orgasm and shot up deep inside of her. Hermione kissed him deeply while he tried to catch his breath. He grinned at her and kissed her back. She slowly disentangled her legs from around his waist. They continued with their shower. Once done, they dressed and went into Draco's bedroom. Hermione got into his bed and Draco climbed in after her. She felt so content and relaxed after their bout of sex in the shower. Draco felt the same way as he lay next to her. They stayed quiet for a few moments, lost in their thoughts, and then began to speak about what their plans were when they finished at Hogwarts.

"What do you plan on doing after we graduate?" Draco asked as he rubbed her hand.

"I've been thinking about that. Before the war I thought I had it all figured out, you know? I planned on working at one of the departments of the Ministry, but I don't know. The Ministry holds no appeal for me. I really liked my job at Mesmerize Studios; the environment there was so edgy and fun at the same time. I might look for something along those lines. What about you?" Hermione replied.

"You mean you want to be a receptionist? You're way too smart for that Hermione," Draco said.

"No! I meant that I liked the music industry. Working as a receptionist was my foot in the door, I'm hoping that I can work there again and get promoted. There's such a different vibe. It's exciting and spontaneous. The Ministry is so routine and a little boring, I want more than that. You never told me what you're going to do," Hermione answered.

"I'll be going into business with my father. It took a hit after the war, but it's slowly building up again. I have a few ideas of the direction I'd like to take the business," Draco said.

"I think you'll be a great businessman. So smart, calculating, and not to mention, devastatingly handsome," Hermione purred and kissed him.

"Mm you know just the right thing to say Ms. Granger. So you want to be a record industry tycoon," Draco chuckled.

Hermione scrunched up her nose and playfully punched him. "No, I'll be happy to be something of a talent scout. There's always new bands out there and I think it would be fun to find the next big thing. I love challenges."

They spoke a little more about their hopes and dreams, and then drifted off to sleep. As Draco held her in his arms, he thought about something else he wanted to mention to Hermione. He loved her and she loved him, so he was giving serious consideration as to where their relationship would be headed once they were done at Hogwarts. Draco wanted to take it to the next level, not marriage, but at least an engagement. He wanted everyone to know that Hermione was taken and his.

**First of all, thank you so much for your patience. I wanted to get this out before I start studying. I truly appreciate the reviews and alerts; WOW is what I have to say! Enjoy and have a great weekend.**

**Any US East coast residents that were hit by Hurricane Sandy, my prayers are with you. Being a resident of south Louisiana, I know firsthand how devastating a hurricane can be. Take care.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer:**** Ya'll know I don't own any of this. Just my twisted version of what Draco and Hermione could have been!**

Hermione groaned as the alarm on her wristwatch went off at 3:30 a.m. It was such a pain in the arse getting up at that time to return to her dorm. Draco groaned and pulled her back against him, so that her head was resting on his chest.

"I don't want you to go just yet. Stay a little longer, this is nice," Draco said softly as he caressed her face.

"Mm that feels good. I don't want to go either. It's so warm and cozy," Hermione replied as she snuggled against him.

"Then don't," Draco whispered as he tilted her face up to meet his and kissed her.

Hermione closed her eyes and savored the feel of his lips on hers. She would never get tired of this, but she knew she had to get back to her dorm. She broke the kiss and got out of the bed. Draco followed her and watched as she put on her shoes. He walked with her to the door and they kissed again, holding each other tightly.

"You're going to have to let go," Hermione giggled.

"Okay but only because I know we'll be leaving for London in a few hours. I can't say I'm looking forward to having dinner with Potter and Weasley, but at least we'll be together," Draco said and smiled.

"Thank you for doing this. I know I've said it before but it means a lot to me," Hermione replied.

"By the way, did you want me to pick you up before going to Diagon Alley? We never discussed that," Draco said.

"My mind has been so preoccupied. You can pick me up at home. The only thing is my parents will be there," Hermione answered.

"Will that be a problem? Do you not want me to meet them?" Draco asked feeling a little wary.

"Not at all! I just wasn't sure if you wanted to meet them at this point," Hermione said quietly and looked away. This was a big step and she wasn't sure how Draco was going to react.

Draco gently turned her face towards his and cupped it with both of his hands. "Hermione, look at me. I would be honored to meet the parents of the girl I love."

Hermione smiled up at him, hugging and kissing him. "This is great Draco. I really feel like we're moving in the right direction. I love you."

"I love you too. I'd do anything for you babe, anything," Draco replied looking deep in to her eyes.

As she left Draco's dorm, Hermione felt as if she was walking on air. After all of the turmoil, everything was finally falling into place. She made it back to Gryffindor's dorm without incident. She went to her room and fell asleep for a few hours. Her bag had already been packed and sent to her room at her parents' home. Hermione was giddy and nervous at the same time. She couldn't wait for Draco to meet her parents, but was a little anxious. Her parents had always listened to her complaints through the years about the nasty Slytherin boy Draco Malfoy. It was going to be a bit of a shock for them to realize that she was totally in love with him. She also thought about the fact that she was eventually going to have to meet Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy again. Hermione wondered if like Draco, his parents had also turned over a new leaf after the war regarding their beliefs about muggles.

Later that morning, Draco and Hermione left Hogwarts. Draco returned to Malfoy Manor and Hermione to her home in London. He was going to pick up Hermione at 7:00 p.m. since they were meeting her friends at 7:30 in Diagon Alley. Ginny had left Hogwarts the evening before and was staying at Harry's house at Grimmauld Place. Hermione had lunch with her parents and then left to meet Ginny for an afternoon of shopping in muggle London.

When Draco arrived at Malfoy Manor, he went to his room and changed clothes to have lunch with his parents. When he was done, he went down to the dining room. He had just sat down when his parents wanted to know why the Ellisons were so upset and had removed their daughter from Hogwarts.

"We were so shocked! What happened? Patricia is such a sweet young lady," Narcissa said, her eyebrows knitted in concern.

"It must've have been something terrible for the Ellisons to send her to Beauxbatons," Lucius remarked as he sipped from his glass of wine.

"Patricia, that sweet young lady, put Oliver Wood under an Imperious Curse, along with a love spell and he almost raped Hermione Granger," Draco said dryly.

Narcissa put a hand over her heart. "My word! Whatever possessed that girl to do something so reprehensible? After the war and all of the atrocities that took place, didn't she learn anything? Are Mr. Wood and Ms. Granger faring well?"

"Yes they are. As a matter of fact, if I hadn't found Wood with Granger I don't know what would've happened. He had beaten her up pretty badly and I'm certain after he raped her he would've killed her. Thank Merlin I was there to stop it," Draco said and shuddered slightly.

This did not go unnoticed by his parents. They shared a look. "So you were the one that was able to save the day. That's wonderful Draco. I'm sure Ms. Granger was grateful," Narcissa said.

"Yes son. That was good of you to do that considering the turbulent past you have shared with Ms. Granger and her cohorts. Have you and she managed to be cordial to each other this school year?" Lucius asked.

"You can say that," Draco said mildly and took a bite of his salad, watching his parents' reaction.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucius asked, raising one eyebrow while Narcissa gave her son a concerned look.

"Hermione Granger and I are seeing each other. As a matter of fact I'm meeting her later. We're going out to dinner with her friends," Draco stated as he put down his fork and looked at his parents.

"That's wonderful Draco! I'm glad that you and she have managed to put the past behind you. Hermione Granger is a lovely young woman. I saw her at the Ministry's Ball," Narcissa gushed.

Lucius sat quietly for a few moments as he processed this. "Well this is certainly something I wasn't expecting. I know most pureblood families have relaxed their high standards regarding dating and marriage, so why not ours?" Lucius said lightly but it was obvious that this bothered him. "I don't know if you're trying to shock us Draco or if this is some dreadful joke."

"I'm not trying to do anything father and this is far from being a joke. I can't even begin to explain to you how awesome this girl is. I feel lucky that she wants to be with me considering all the shit I've put her and her friends through in the last few years," Draco stated and stared at his father, his expression daring his father to issue a challenge.

"Draco, why don't you invite Hermione to dinner at the Manor? Perhaps next weekend would be good," Narcissa quickly interjected in an effort to diffuse the tension between Draco and Lucius.

"As long as father doesn't try to hex us, I'd be delighted to bring Hermione," Draco drawled.

"I'll do nothing of the sort Draco! Give me a moment to think about this! Everything I thought I knew before the war has totally flown out of the window. There have been so many changes and I'm trying to adjust. By all means bring Ms. Granger for dinner but don't be surprised if she isn't all that thrilled to come here. If you two are serious about each other, this will take some time for all of us to get acclimated so to speak. Your mother and I always had high expectations for you Draco. We only want what is best," Lucius replied and looked at his son.

"Hermione Granger is who I want. Maybe you'll understand once you meet her. May I be excused?" Draco asked as he looked from his father to his mother.

"Yes dear. I'll let you know about dinner next weekend," Narcissa said quietly and smiled at him. She didn't care about Lucius' misgivings about Draco and Hermione. If Hermione Granger made her son happy that was all she cared about.

Ginny waved at Hermione as they met up in front of their favorite muggle clothing store, Inner Sanctum of Fashion.

"Let's go in and see what's new. I'm so excited for tonight. Harry and Ron pestered me almost all night wanting to know who your date was going to be. You would've been proud; I never even gave them a hint," Ginny chuckled. Ron lived with Harry at Grimmauld Place and that was the only reason Ginny's parents let her spend the night there. No one had to know she snuck into Harry's room as soon as Ron was asleep.

"I'm looking forward to tonight too, but I'm so nervous. Draco is going to be meeting my parents too," Hermione replied as they entered the store. They began to look through the clothes, starting with the tops.

"Wow, that's great Hermione. Draco is really serious about you, meeting your parents and facing your friends all in the same night," Ginny said as she raised her eyebrows. She picked up a glittery gold tank top with a huge star embroidered on it and showed it to Hermione. Hermione shook her head while Ginny giggled and placed it back on the rack.

"I know huh? Draco Malfoy meeting my parents, never in a million years would I have thought I'd be saying that!" Hermione said incredulously and suddenly felt excitement building in the pit of her stomach as she thought about Draco. They had only been apart for a few hours and she missed him.

After browsing for about 30 minutes, Hermione managed to find an embroidered silk grey tank top paired with a matching cardigan, along with a pair of black skinny jeans. She had a pair of ballet flats at home that were going to go perfectly with this outfit. Ginny fell in love with a leopard spot print sweater dress that was going to go well with the brown leather boots she had received as a Christmas gift.

The two friends decided to grab a cup of tea in Diagon Alley before heading back to prepare for the evening. When they sat down with their drinks, Ginny reached across the table and grabbed Hermione's hands.

"I've been waiting for the right moment to tell you my news! I told Harry and Ron last night and I wanted to send an owl to you at Hogwarts, but I figured I'd see you today so-," Ginny gushed excitedly.

"Gin, slow down! What do you have to tell me?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening.

"You're looking at the Holyhead Harpies new seeker. I'll finish my year at Hogwarts and I'll start training and playing professionally this summer," Ginny replied and waited for Hermione's reaction.

"Gin! Whoa, this is amazing!" Hermione exclaimed and stood up to hug her friend. "I didn't even know you had tried out."

"I attended an open tryout over the holidays and I didn't want to make a big deal of it. I truly didn't think I had a chance. You can't imagine how shocked I was when Madam Pomfrey called me into her office yesterday and the Holyhead's coach was there," Ginny said as she returned the hug.

Hermione returned to her side of the table and shook her head. "What did your family and Harry have to say about this?"

"Are you kidding? My parents are thrilled and Ron already asked if he'll be able to get free tickets and if I can hook him up with some of the players! Harry told me he was proud of me," Ginny answered as she sipped her tea.

"I'm so happy for you! It's so great you'll be able to do something you really love and get paid for it!" Hermione said.

"I know! My eyes almost popped out of my head when the coach told me what I'll be making. I was also wondering if maybe you and I could find a place this summer. Harry has plenty of room at Grimmauld Place but my parents will not hear of me living there. Mum says it's inappropriate. I mean, what's the difference if it's okay to spend the night if Ron's there but not if Harry's alone?" Ginny said and rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure your parents know what's going on with you and Harry, but like my parents, they're still old-fashioned about couples living together and not being married. I'd love to get a flat with you. It's funny you would mention that because I've been thinking about what I'll be doing when school finishes," Hermione stated.

"Yeah what are you going to be doing? I know you aren't too keen on working at The Ministry. What about Mesmerize?" Ginny asked.

"Well, Byron had told me last summer that I could go back anytime I wanted so I guess I'll get in touch with him and find out if there are any openings. I'm not getting my hopes up though. Sometimes bosses tell you that and don't really mean it," Hermione replied.

"You won't know until you ask him. I think Byron will come through for you," Ginny said.

Hermione smiled and sipped her tea. "I hope so Gin." The young women chatted for another hour and then returned home to get ready for the evening.

At about 10 minutes before 7:00 pm, Hermione took one last look in the floor length mirror on the wall of her bedroom. She had decided to braid her hair in one long plait that hung down her back. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her clutch purse and left her bedroom. She went downstairs to meet her parents.

"Oh Hermione dear, that outfit is so becoming on you," Mrs. Granger said and smiled.

"You look very nice sweetheart," Mr. Granger said and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks Mum and Dad. My date is going to be picking me up in a few minutes. Umm, we've been seeing each other for the past few months and he's important to me," Hermione said.

Mrs. Granger looked at her husband. She knew there was a young man in Hermione's life by the way Hermione had been acting in the last few months. Their normally studious and steadfast daughter seemed to be in a daze these days and sometimes had to be asked a question twice before she responded. It was quite evident their daughter was love struck.

"Is he someone we know?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"You've never met him personally. We started at Hogwarts at the same time, but we're in different houses. You may have heard me mention him-Draco Malfoy," Hermione said and waited for her parents' reaction.

"Draco Malfoy? I know the name sounds familiar," Mrs. Granger said, her forehead creasing as she tried to place the name.

"Wait a minute. The same Draco Malfoy you always complained about as soon as we would pick you up from King's Cross station? The one you always loved to hate?" Mr. Granger asked with an incredulous expression.

"One and the same Dad. But he's so different now. I've never met anyone like him. I really care for him," Hermione said softly and bit her lip.

"I don't know Hermione. Are you sure about this? I know people change but the things you used to tell us about him and his family," Mr. Granger started to say but then was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell.

Hermione whispered "That's probably him! Please be nice!" as she walked to the door. When she opened it, there was Draco looking spectacular in a navy sweater and dark jeans. Hermione gave him a reassuring smile because he looked nervous.

"Hey. Come on in and meet my parents," Hermione said softly as she led him to the living room where her parents were waiting.

"Mum, Dad, this is Draco Malfoy," Hermione said and smiled.

Draco, remembering his manners, went up to her parents and lightly shook Mrs. Granger's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Granger."

Mr. Granger stood up as Draco extended his hand and gave a firm handshake. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Granger."

After a few minutes of small talk in which the Grangers asked polite questions about Draco's parents and where he was from, Hermione decided it was time to go. "Draco we better get going if we want to make our reservation."

Draco nodded and they told her parents goodbye. When they exited the house, Draco let out a huge breath. "I'm so glad that is over! Is your dad always so intimidating?" Do you think they liked me?"

"You have to understand my dad still thinks I'm a little girl and of course he'll be protective of me. I think you managed to charm them, especially my mum," Hermione said and kissed him on the cheek.

"It also didn't help when I saw how gorgeous you look tonight. I wanted to shag you right there in your parents' living room," Draco growled as he pulled her to him and kissed her firmly on the lips.

Hermione melted into him and kissed him back, and then pulled away. "We really need to get going!" "Don't look at me like that! I'm not walking in that restaurant looking like we've just shagged," Hermione giggled as Draco pouted.

"You better be ready for me later tonight. I can't wait to get you alone. I also have a surprise for you," Draco said smugly and smiled.

"Oh really? I'll have to make sure we have a nice long dinner then," Hermione chuckled as they disapparated to Diagon Alley.

When they arrived, Draco whispered in her ear "You little tease, I'm going to make you pay for that later."

"Mm I can't wait," Hermione murmured and kissed him, backing away as he tried to pull her into a tight embrace. "We really need to get to the restaurant," she chuckled and grabbed his hand.

"I know, dinner with Potter and Weasley," Draco said sarcastically.

"It'll be fine," Hermione replied as they walked into the new wizard quidditch sports bar/restaurant named Gene's. As soon as they entered, the hostess greeted them and nodded when Hermione told her they were meeting friends. She led them to the table where Harry and Ginny were already seated, along with Ron and his date Clarissa. Draco was a little shocked to realize he actually liked the atmosphere of the restaurant, especially all of the quidditch memorabilia on the walls. He couldn't believe it when he saw members of his favorite quidditch team sharing a meal at one of the large tables they passed by. Hermione smiled to herself as she listened to the muggle song, "Tightrope," by Janelle Monae playing over the noise of the restaurant. She and Draco indeed were going be walking a tightrope tonight with Harry and Ron.

Harry smiled when he saw Hermione approaching the table, but the smile quickly turned into a frown. It couldn't be, there was no fucking way when he saw the familiar white head behind Hermione. This had to be a joke, there was no way in hell Draco Malfoy was Hermione's date! _What the fuck is Hermione thinking? _Harry asked himself. _This is not going to go well especially when Ron notices Hermione's "date."_

Hermione reached the table and thanked the hostess. She smiled at everyone and decided to take a lighthearted approach.

"Hi! This place is packed tonight. I think all of you know Draco. So what are you drinking?" she asked and looked around the table as she took a seat near Ginny and Draco slid into the chair next to her, looking very uncomfortable.

Ron's face transformed into about 4 different shades of red, he was so pissed. He and Harry stood up at the same time. "Hermione, could we see you for a few minutes?" Harry asked.

Hermione couldn't believe how rude they were being, but at least this was better than them pointing their wands at Draco. She turned to him and said quietly "Draco I'm so sorry about this, I'll be right back. I'm going to take care of this."

"Maybe it's best that I go Hermione. This wasn't such a good idea," Draco started to say.

"No! Harry and Ron will have to get over it and accept that we're together," Hermione told him as she stood up. "I won't be long," she said as she walked over to where Harry and Ron were standing.

Draco watched her walk away and then turned to Ginny and Clarissa. Both young women smiled and Draco was grateful when Ginny began a conversation about quidditch. It eased the tension a little, but he was still on pins and needles. He couldn't wait for Hermione to return. A good part of him wanted to say 'fuck it' and hex Potter and Weasley, but he had to bear in mind that these gits were Hermione's friends. She meant way too much to him for him to screw things up in such a manner.

Hermione was furious when she came face to face with the guys. "I can't believe you did that! What are you 12 years old?"

"Fuck that! What the hell are you thinking bringing that arsehole around us? Have you forgotten how he and his minions were always trying to screw us over at Hogwarts and the war? I suppose he's the one who gave you that huge hickey a few months back! I don't believe you Hermione, have you gone mental? Draco fucking Malfoy?" Harry growled.

"Yeah, that's what I'm wondering! Did that git put you under some sort of Imperious curse? I didn't know anything about a hickey! Oh Merlin, you're letting that bastard suck on your neck? Looks like Ginny's gone mental too, conversing with Malfoy like they're long-lost friends," Ron bellowed as he looked towards their table.

"Keep. Your. Fucking. Voice. Down. Ronald," Hermione said in a voice that meant business. Harry and Ron knew this tone and gulped. They had gone too far, but what did she expect? "I understand how you feel, but the war is over and people can change. I felt like you did when I returned to Hogwarts, but Draco is a changed man. Come on and give me some credit, like I would be with him if he was still such a git. I love him."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Crap Hermione. I'm glad you're in love, but Draco Malfoy?" Harry said, his voice softening.

"Yes I'm in love with Draco Malfoy. If you can't accept it, I'll leave now. Draco is now a part of my life. I don't want to lose your friendship or Ron's, but I'm not giving him up," Hermione said and looked at her friends squarely in the eyes.

"Damn it Hermione. I don't want to lose you, we've been friends for such a long time. Come on Harry, we know Hermione is the brightest witch of her age. She must see something in Malfoy we don't, so I'm willing to give the git a chance. A truce of sorts. But Hermione-he better not hurt you or the truce is over," Ron said.

"I can accept that Ron. Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I don't want to lose you over this either Hermione, so I'm willing to give Malfoy a chance," Harry replied.

"So you'll behave once we return to the table?" Hermione asked and gave the two young men a stern look.

"Yes!" Harry and Ron replied simultaneously. "I'm ready to go back to the table, I'm starving," Ron said.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and laughed. Ron was back to normal. Hermione silently thanked Merlin for her friends agreeing to accept that she and Draco were together. They walked back to the table and sat down. She was so happy when Harry and Ron shook hands with Draco and managed some degree of civility. Draco gave Hermione a smile of relief as they started to look over the menus. He squeezed Hermione's knee under the table and she winked at him. Harry watched this exchange and it hit him. Draco Malfoy had a genuine smile when he looked at Hermione. As unbelievable as it seemed, Malfoy was in love with his best friend.

Conversation started slowly, but then the tension began to ease at the table. Hermione told Draco about Ginny making the Holyhead Harpies team. He congratulated her and like everyone else at the table, was truly happy for Ginny. Ron raised his eyebrows in appreciation when Draco ordered a round of drinks for the whole table to celebrate Ginny's accomplishment. _Hermione was right; this definitely isn't the Malfoy we always knew and loved to hate _thought Ron.

While they were waiting for their food to arrive, Hermione decided to go to the ladies room. "I need to powder my nose. Anyone else?"

"Sure I'll go too. Coming Clarissa?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, I need to touchup my lip gloss. Let me grab my handbag," Clarissa replied.

Hermione stood up and touched Draco's shoulder in a reassuring manner. "I'll be right back."

Draco smiled and replied, "Take your time." He watched as Hermione and the other ladies walked towards the restroom. He turned to Harry and Ron, jerking his head in the direction of the ladies room, and said, "Why is it women always travel in packs to go to the ladies room?"

Ron actually laughed and replied, "I've always wondered the same thing!"

Harry smiled. "It's quite simple. They're going in there to gossip about us."

"I do believe you're right," Draco replied and chuckled. It was so surreal to be sharing a joke with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

The young men chuckled and then the conversation turned to their favorite subject, quidditch. Harry and Ron soon forgot that they were actually talking to Draco Malfoy. He made valid points about different plays and the players. Harry was beginning to see what Hermione saw in Malfoy, he really had changed.

After giggling and talking about the guys in the restroom, the girls decided to return to the table. Ginny was so relieved that the evening was going so well. She knew that this meant the world to Hermione. As they were walking back, Hermione heard someone shout out her name. She smiled when she saw who it was.

"Byron! It's great to see you. I haven't seen you since that last time we went out," Hermione chuckled as she hugged him. "Are you here with friends?"

"Yes, we just finished dinner and we're about to hit some of the muggle clubs. Do you and your friends want to come?" Byron asked hopefully as he looked towards Clarissa and Ginny.

"No we're here with dates. I don't think they'd appreciate us running out on them," Hermione joked.

"Just thought I'd ask. Incidentally, I'm glad I met up with you. Something has come up and I'd like to discuss it with you when I find out more details. I'll send an owl when I do," Byron replied.

"Okay that sounds good Byron. Is this about a position at Mesmerize?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, it's something along those lines. I think you'd be perfect for it," Byron answered.

"Cool, thanks for thinking of me," Hermione said, feeling flattered.

"No problem. Look at that, those shitheads are leaving without me. Look for my owl!" Byron said as he quickly kissed her cheek and sprinted to the door to catch up to his friends.

Hermione shook her head and laughed. Byron was such a unique individual. She wondered what he wanted to discuss with her.

Draco had watched this whole exchange and was seething inside. Who the hell was that longhaired bloke kissing his girl's cheek?

Harry and Ron noticed that Draco had stopped speaking as he watched Hermione speaking to Byron. Draco's eyes had narrowed and he was clutching a paper napkin in his fist. Harry looked at Ron, raising his eyebrows. It seemed Malfoy had a jealous streak when it came to Hermione.

"Looks like Hermione met up with her ex-boss. She worked with Byron last summer. He's the human resources director over at Mesmerize Productions," Harry said in an effort to keep Draco from getting riled up when he saw Byron kiss Hermione's cheek.

"Oh her ex-boss. I thought it was some git trying to hit on her. I'm glad you told me, I was about to go over there," Draco said and unclenched his fist.

"I can assure you if some git was hitting on Hermione, she'd be able to handle it," Harry chuckled.

"Yeah Hermione can take care of it," Ron agreed and chuckled with Harry.

Draco nodded in agreement and watched Hermione as she walked back to their table. She smiled at him and he blocked out the clamor and conversations of the other patrons in the restaurant, focusing only on her. He smiled back and stood up when she reached the table, pulling her chair out for her.

"Thank you Draco. Sorry my trip to the restroom took a little longer than I thought. I met up with my ex-boss from Mesmerize," Hermione said as she sat down.

"Yes, Harry told me who he was," Draco replied as he sat down.

"Okay. Great, the food is here! It looks delicious," Hermione said as the waitress set her plate of food before her. She started to concentrate on her food but couldn't help thinking about why Draco wanted to know who Byron was. It made her think about what Ginny had mentioned a few months ago when she had been joking around with Seamus in the Great Hall. Did Draco have a jealous streak?

When everyone had finished their meal and the check was brought to the table, Draco insisted on paying it. Harry and Ron protested, but Draco told him he had really enjoyed the evening and it was rather enlightening. Hermione was so proud of Draco for his generous gesture and was glad that the evening had turned out well despite Harry and Ron's behavior earlier.

They walked out of the loud restaurant and everyone exchanged goodbyes. Hermione was astonished when Ron said it would be fun to get together again. She was even more shocked when Draco agreed. She and Draco waved to her friends. They had invited them to go back with them to Grimmauld Place, but Draco thanked them and said he and Hermione had other plans.

"Oh yes, I recall you said you have a surprise for me," Hermione said and smiled when she and Draco were alone.

Draco smiled and took her hand, leading her to an apparation point near The Leaky Cauldron. Over the next few moments, Hermione felt herself being pulled along and then they landed in front of a house in a muggle neighborhood on the outskirts of London.

The house was huge, with two stories and a circular driveway in the front. Hermione could see lights were on inside of the home. She looked at Draco.

"Why are we in a muggle neighborhood?" she asked.

"This is my surprise," Draco said as he took her hand and led her to the house.

Hermione stopped him and asked, "What do you mean? This is your house?"

"Technically it's my parents' home, but I'll be living here when I start working at Malfoy Industries. Do you want a tour?" Draco asked.

"Sure. Wow, this is beautiful Draco. I'm a little surprised that your parents bought a home in a muggle neighborhood," Hermione replied as she walked with Draco towards the front door.

"Father thought that it would be a good investment. He's really trying to change Hermione. I told my parents about you today," Draco said and stopped when they reached the door.

"You did? What was their reaction?" Hermione asked, dreading Draco's response.

"Mother was thrilled and invited you to dinner next weekend. My father had a somewhat different reaction, but he's willing to meet you. I told them how important you are to me," Draco said as he caressed her cheek and kissed her.

Hermione kissed him back and then looked at him. "Draco, this night has been pretty incredible. I'm so happy that everyone is willing to give us a chance. You are so important to me too, you're everything. I love you."

"I love you too. Let's get inside, it's cold out here," Draco chuckled and unlocked the door.

"I'm impressed. You're actually using a muggle key!" Hermione laughed.

"That's what I love about you. You're so easily impressed," Draco joked as they stepped inside.

Hermione was in awe when she walked in and took in the beauty of the home. There was a huge crystal chandelier hanging in the foyer which led to a spacious living room. A fire was roaring in the fireplace and Hermione walked over to it to warm her friends and take in the beauty of the room with its soothing brown walls and comfortable leather furniture. Draco smiled as he watched her take it all in. This was going to be all hers one day too.

"I'm going to the kitchen for something to drink. Do you want anything?" Draco asked.

"No I'm fine," Hermione replied.

"I'll be right back and then I'll give you a tour," Draco said.

Hermione nodded and smiled. When Draco walked out of the room, she smiled. She had something else in mind besides a tour of the house.

Draco returned to the living room a few minutes later with a bottle of water. Hermione wasn't there. He wondered if she had gone to the kitchen to meet him and was about to retrace his steps when he noticed her sweater lying on a chair. As he walked he saw that her shoes were near the foot of the winding staircase that led to the second floor. Draco smirked when he saw her shirt on the bannister and as he began to ascend the steps he found her bra. He loved his little seductress and couldn't wait to get his hands on her. When he reached the second floor, he found her jeans folded on a nearby chair.

"Hermione, come out, come out wherever you are. Draco is ready to play," Draco called out softly as he removed his shirt and kicked off his shoes. He began to walk down the corridor and stopped when he heard a soft giggle coming from a closed door. Draco opened it and sucked in his breath when he saw what was waiting for him. Hermione was clad only in a pair of skimpy green and black panties, lying on her side in the king-sized bed that took up most of the spacious bedroom.

"What took you so long?" she asked seductively and then squealed when Draco pounced onto her. No more words were spoken as he pulled off her panties and rid himself of the rest of his clothes. Hermione ran her hands through his hair as he feverishly kissed her lips, moving down her neck and then her breasts. She emitted a soft moan as he moved his mouth over each mound, teasing the nipples with his tongue and gripping them lightly with his teeth. He looked up at Hermione as he did this and grinned. Without warning he moved down and plunged his tongue into her. Hermione screamed with delight when he did this. Her hands moved down to the silk bedspread and she gripped handfuls of it as she pushed up her hips against Draco.

Draco lapped up her juices; he became so hard and excited when he realized how wet she was. This was what he'd been waiting for all night. Hermione was about to reach her climax when he stopped. She was breathing hard and gave him a look of disappointment. Draco only shook his head and said "Not yet, I want us to cum together." He sat up and moved over her, gently pushing her legs apart. He began to kiss her again and Hermione didn't care that she could taste herself on his lips and tongue. Draco looked at her and said, "Do you taste how delectable you are Hermione? I can't get enough of you!" He began to kiss her again, bruising her lips with his ferocity and desire. She furiously kissed him back, he had her so worked up. Draco looked into her eyes and she knew he was about to plunge into her, so she recited a contraception charm silently and quickly. Hermione braced herself and called out his name as he buried himself into her. He grunted out her name and began to fuck her with hard thrusts. Hermione lifted her hips to meet his and wrapped her arms around his neck. Draco began to slow down and kissed her more gently. They moved together and Draco buried his face into her neck and hair. Her braid had come undone and her hair was spread out over the pillow. He picked up his head and looked at Hermione, loving the way she looked with her closed eyes and hair splayed out behind her.

It wasn't long before his thrusts became more urgent and Hermione could feel her orgasm building up again. It never ceased to amaze her at how they could be so in sync with each other's bodies that they even came together. Draco started to feel her walls clenching around his dick and knew she was close. When he heard her breathing starting to come in small pants, he let himself go, calling out her name as he spilled his seed into her. As they came down from their high, he remained inside of her for a few moments and then slipped out. He lay beside her and kissed her shoulder.

"That little striptease of yours was incredibly sexy. I hope we can do that again soon," Draco murmured.

"Use that tongue of yours on me like you did tonight and I'll do anything you want," Hermione replied and kissed his cheek. Draco cocked one eyebrow and looked at her.

"Anything?"

"Within reason, you pervert," Hermione giggled and playfully slapped him on the chest.

"Who're you calling a pervert?" Draco chuckled and pulled her to him. "I love you."

"I love you too Draco. Thank you again for tonight," Hermione replied softly.

"I told you I'll do anything for you love. Whatever makes you happy," Draco said as he stroked her hair.

Hermione smiled up at him and snuggled into his chest. After a few minutes of this, they got up and pulled down the covers of the bed and climbed back into it. Hermione once again snuggled against Draco. It wasn't long before sleep took them, contented smiles on their faces.

As Draco fell asleep, he wondered what Hermione thought of the house. He was hoping Hermione would want to move in with him when they finished at Hogwarts. It was going to be perfect to start their life together.

As Hermione fell asleep, her mind went back to Byron. She couldn't wait to find out what he wanted to discuss with her. Everything was falling into place.

**Finally, the meeting with Harry and Ron! Hope you enjoyed it and thank you for your patience. I think this "one shot" still has some life left, so we'll see where it can go. **

**Always, thank you so much for the reviews and alerts! I love hearing from you.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter Eleven**

Hermione woke up the next morning, needing to pee. She carefully maneuvered out of Draco's embrace so she wouldn't disturb him. Moving slowly out of the bed, she walked across the carpeted floor leading to the bathroom connected to the bedroom. When she was done, she found her panties on the floor, stifling a giggle as she thought about the way Draco had pulled them off earlier. Hermione stepped into them and wrapped her arms around her waist. She knew they were alone in the house, but she still felt self-conscious walking around bare-breasted. She made her way to the stairs and started to pick up her clothes that were strewn about. When she found Draco's sweater, she pulled it on. The sweater floated on her petite frame, but she liked how warm it felt and she could still breathe in Draco's scent.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she decided she was thirsty and started to look for the kitchen. Hermione couldn't get over how spacious and vast this house was. _All this for one person, _she thought as she walked around and finally found the kitchen. She opened the brand new state-of-the-art muggle refrigerator and found a carton of orange juice. Hermione was able to retrieve a glass from a cabinet near the refrigerator. As she poured the orange juice into the glass, it hit her. This home was a family home. She asked herself what was Draco thinking by moving into such a stately home, but deep down Hermione wondered if she knew the answer. Was Draco looking to settle down? She loved him but this was such a huge step and way too soon. She was only going to be nineteen years old in a few months! Besides she and Ginny had always looked forward to being on their own and moving out of their parents' homes. They often discussed getting a flat together. Surely Draco would understand that she wanted to be with him, but needed her own space, at least for a few years. Then again, maybe she was overthinking this as she usually did with most things. Maybe the Malfoys did buy this as a good "investment" and it was going to be convenient for Draco to live here once he was situated at Malfoy Industries.

As she pondered this, she felt two strong arms wrap around her waist. "You have no idea how incredible you look in my sweater," Draco murmured from behind her and pushed aside her hair so he could kiss the nape of her neck.

Hermione closed her eyes and savored his warm body against hers. "I just may have to steal it from you, it's comfortable."

"It's yours babe as long as you wear it for me and no one else," Draco purred.

"You've got yourself a deal," Hermione replied and turned around to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"I just noticed you weren't in bed and I was a little worried when I saw your clothes were gone. I'm glad you're still here," Draco said as he looked into her eyes and rubbed her arms.

Hermione put her hands on his shoulders, touched by the way he looked so relieved that she was still there. "I'd never leave without telling you. I was thirsty, so I found the kitchen. Do you want some juice?"

"Sure, I'll get it," Draco replied and walked to the refrigerator. He opened it, removed the carton of orange juice and drank from it. Hermione watched with her mouth open and said, "That's disgusting Draco Malfoy! I know your mother taught you better manners than that!"

Draco chuckled as he wiped his mouth on his arm and put the carton back into the refrigerator. "She did and would probably give me a good wallop for it, but my father and I do it all the time!"

"Ugh you're such a guy," Hermione said and rolled her eyes.

"Indeed I am babe but you know you love it," Draco grinned as he took her hand. "Come on, let's go back to bed. I'm ready for another round."

After another bout of mind-blowing lovemaking, Hermione decided she needed to get back home. She was eighteen years old, and her parents weren't too upset if she returned home at 2 or 3 a.m. However, if she stayed out until the next morning, then she was asking for trouble unless they knew she was sleeping over at Ginny's or another girlfriend's house. Sometimes she asked herself what was the difference because she could be out doing unspeakable things at any hour, so why did it matter if she stayed out all night? Like Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's view on Ginny and Harry, Hermione was pretty sure her parents knew there was a possibility that she and Draco were sleeping together, but they still liked to think she wasn't. That was another reason Hermione was looking forward to moving in with Ginny. They would be out of their parents' homes and have much more freedom.

Draco watched as Hermione dressed. He knew she had to get back home but a large part of him wished she would stay until the next morning. He wanted to impress her with his breakfast making skills. Draco was so anxious to show her how good life would be with him once they were on their own. This was more than a mere home; this was his and Hermione's future together. He knew this was something he'd have to build upon gradually because their relationship was still new, but Draco was certain Hermione was "the one." It amazed him when he thought of her in that way because he always thought of that muggle expression as complete crap, but now that he was with Hermione, it made total sense.

When they were both dressed, Draco turned off the lights in the home. A house elf would come during the week and put the home back in order. Draco was hoping that this could be he and Hermione's little weekend getaway until they finished at Hogwarts. They walked out of a rear entrance of the home and Hermione gasped when she saw the backyard. There was a sunroom and a huge indoor pool. Draco smiled when he saw her reaction.

"It's climate-controlled too. We can swim anytime we want," Draco murmured in her ear as he held her close.

"I'm totally bringing my swimsuit next time we come here. I love to swim!" Hermione said excitedly.

"You won't need your swimsuit love," Draco replied and chuckled.

"Your mind is always in the gutter," Hermione teased

"Only when I'm around you love," Draco said as he kissed her.

Hermione returned the kiss, but broke it as Draco began to kiss her more deeply and tried to pull her back into the house.

"Oh no you don't! As much as I want to, I really have to get back home," Hermione said with regret.

"Can't blame a man for trying," Draco chuckled, but then turned serious. "I love you so much Hermione. I treasure every moment I'm with you."

Hermione gave him a soft smile. "Draco, I love you too and I'm so happy we're together."

With that, they disapparated outside of Hermione's home. Draco walked her to the door and kissed her softly and then rested his forehead against hers.

"Thank you again for another wonderful evening. I have to admit it wasn't as painful as I thought it would be," Draco smiled.

"You're welcome and thank you too for the surprise. The house is gorgeous," Hermione replied. "I better get in. I'll see you at Hogwarts," Hermione sighed and hugged him.

Draco returned the hug and regrettably released her. He waved as he disapparated back to Malfoy Manor.

When they returned to Hogwarts, everyone settled into their normal routine that is until the middle of the week when Hermione received an owl from Byron. It was Wednesday morning and she was eating her breakfast while chatting with Ginny, when she saw Byron's company owl flying towards her. The Northern Hawk owl shrieked as it dropped the letter neatly into Hermione's lap.

"I'm assuming that's from Byron?" Ginny asked as she buttered a slice a toast.

"Yes, I'm kind of nervous to see what it's about," Hermione replied.

"Just open it, I'm sure it's something good," Ginny smiled.

Letting out the breath she'd been holding, Hermione opened the envelope. Looking at Ginny, she said "Here goes nothing," as she unfolded the letter. As she started to read the letter, her eyes widened.

_Hermione,_

_I couldn't tell you more when I saw you Saturday night because I wasn't sure when T.J. was coming to London. She's going to be here tomorrow afternoon and wants to meet with you. She's looking for an assistant to work with her and her team. I think you'd be perfect for this position, but of course this will be for T.J. to decide. _

_I've owled Professor McGonagall and I'm waiting on her reply. I hope you'll be able to make it because this is the opportunity of a lifetime. With that I hope to see at Mesmerize tomorrow afternoon._

_Sincerely,_

_Byron_

"Well. What does it say?" Ginny asked as she took in Hermione's stunned expression.

"Gin, T.J., Tamara Jenkins wants to meet with me. With me," Hermione said excitedly and showed the letter to Ginny.

"I know this must be something very exciting Hermione, but who's T.J. or Tamara?" Ginny asked as she scanned the contents of the letter.

"She is like the hottest talent executive in the music industry. If bands get T.J.'s attention, they're pretty much set for a recording contract. She's also in charge of a team of managers who oversee some of the hottest bands in the business. If I work with her there's a chance I'll be managing a band of my own one day or maybe looking for new talent like T.J.," Hermione replied.

"Sometimes it just blows my mind that this is what you want to do. I guess I always imagined you working at the Ministry, hell I even imagined you as being the Minister one day," Ginny chuckled.

"Maybe at one time Gin, but I want something more than being stuck in some office doing the same thing day in, day out. This job with T.J. is everything I'm looking for in a career. It's going to be so exciting traveling, meeting the new bands, just getting to be a part of that scene," Hermione said and smiled.

"I get it Hermione. I feel the same way. I still want to pinch myself when it hits me that I'll be playing quidditch for a living!" Ginny replied and grinned.

Hermione turned towards Ginny and grasped her hands. "It's all falling into place Gin. If I get this job we'll be able to get our flat and start living on our own!"

"Get your butt to McGonagall's office and find out if she'll let you go to London tomorrow!" Ginny replied and hugged her friend.

Draco watched this exchange and wondered what it was all about. He saw Hermione stand up and walk out of the Great Hall. Draco was slightly perturbed that she didn't wait for him since he always walked her to class, so he followed her out and caught up to her.

"Hey, is there a troll loose or something?" Draco joked.

"Draco! I'm sorry I rushed out. I have to see Professor McGonagall," Hermione replied.

"What for? Is everything okay?" Draco asked, concerned.

"Everything's great, in fact it'll be wonderful if she lets me go to London tomorrow," Hermione grinned and handed the letter to Draco.

Draco quickly read the letter and was as lost as Ginny was when she read it. "Who's this T.J. person?"

"Tamara Jenkins, but everyone calls her T.J. She's Mesmerize's top talent executive and she's looking for an assistant! Byron recommended me and T.J. wants to meet tomorrow afternoon," Hermione replied.

They had reached Professor McGonagall's door. Hermione looked at it and said "Wish me luck, here goes nothing."

"Do you want me to go in with you or wait?" Draco asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not sure how long this will take. I don't want you to be late for class so I'll see you at lunch."

"Okay, I'll see you later. Good luck," Draco said as he gave a small smile.

Hermione grinned at him and then gave the password for the Professor's office. He watched as she walked into the office. Draco turned and began to walk slowly to his class. His head was swimming with so many thoughts. For some reason, the thought of Hermione accepting a job with Mesmerize left him with a feeling of foreboding. Something was telling him that he was not going to like this at all.

Ten minutes later, Hermione stepped out of Professor McGonagall's office, a huge grin on her face. She was going to London.

Later that day, Draco walked with her to class and listened as Hermione gushed on about how nervous she was for the meeting, how she hoped she was good enough for the job, would T.J. like her, etc. Despite the misgivings he was having about this, Draco reassured her that she would be fine. He still clung to the possibility that Hermione wouldn't be accepted for the position. A part of him didn't like the fact that he was having these thoughts, but Draco was selfish in many ways. Hermione was his, he didn't like sharing.

That evening, Hermione had trouble sleeping because she was so excited about the meeting. She and Ginny had chosen an outfit, but Hermione was still debating if they'd made the right choice. Meanwhile, Draco tossed and turned because he couldn't stop thinking about where this was going to lead if Hermione was chosen for the job. He knew that this job was going to entail plenty of travel and late nights. Hermione knew this too and yet was excited at the possibility. Did she realize that they wouldn't be able to spend as much time together? Draco was beginning to be unsure of where he and Hermione were headed after Hogwarts.

The next day, Draco walked with Hermione to the floo network. He managed not to let his true feelings come out, kissing her softly and wishing her luck. He watched with a heavy heart as Hermione stepped into the floo, a look of excitement and nervousness on her face as she shouted out the address to Mesmerize Studios. When she was gone, he leaned against the nearby wall and let out a sigh, running his hands through his hair. Draco thought about how lovely Hermione looked in a black knit wrap dress and knee-length black boots. Deep down he knew that whoever T.J. was, she would be crazy not to hire Hermione, but that selfish monster in him hoped that wouldn't be the case.

When Hermione arrived at Mesmerize, Byron was waiting for her at the entrance of the floo.

"Cool, you're here and a few minutes early. T.J. is in my office," Byron said and smiled as he led her towards his office.

"Byron, do I look okay? I was debating whether to wear a dress or pants," Hermione began saying and then Byron cut her off by chuckling.

"Hermione, trust me when I tell you T.J. isn't interested in what you're wearing, she's interested in your intelligence and what you can bring to her team. You'll be fine," Byron said in a reassuring manner.

They reached his office and Hermione took a deep breath and exhaled quickly before walking in.

Tamara Jenkins, aka T.J. grew up in an impoverished area of Southside of Chicago, Illinois. Born to muggleborn parents, they were shocked when T.J. began to show signs of magical ability at a young age. She received a letter at age 11 to attend the Great Lakes School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. From that point on, T.J.'s life was never the same. She was able to overcome growing up in poverty by always being at the top of her class at Great Lakes. When she finished school, she began working at Mesmerize's Chicago location. Her drive and intelligence propelled her to move through the ranks at Mesmerize and she was now regarded as one of their top executives at the ripe old age of 32.

When Hermione first glanced at T.J., she was struck by the woman's beauty. T.J. was 5'11 and model-thin, in fact with her amazing bone structure and flawless coco-colored skin, any modeling agency would've killed to have her working for them, but that wasn't T.J.'s thing. Her black hair was pulled back in a neat, sleek ponytail and she wore a fitted red jacket over a white T-shirt and jeans with black snakeskin boots. Given T.J.'s position and looks, Hermione was expecting a cold and unfriendly persona, so she was completely caught off guard when T.J.'s face lit up with a warm smile as she greeted her.

"So you're Hermione Granger. Byron has told me so much about you, it's great to finally meet you," T.J. said.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Ms. Jenkins. You're quite well-known," Hermione gushed a little and inwardly cringed.

"I guess Byron's been running his mouth. Call me T.J, please," T.J. chuckled. "Have a seat and why don't you tell me about yourself."

For the next hour and a half, T.J. interviewed Hermione. They discussed Hermione's knowledge of the music industry and why she thought she should be part of Mesmerize's team. When they were done, T.J. told her that she would contact her by owl at Hogwarts's to let Hermione know her decision. T.J walked with her to the floo network and told her that she would definitely be in touch. As Hermione was leaving, she saw Byron and he mouthed "How did it go?" She shrugged and smiled, telling him "I'm not sure." She truly wasn't sure if she had the position or not. T.J. was courteous but Hermione could tell that this woman was tough as nails and no one's fool. She grilled Hermione about many different things and only nodded at Hermione's replies, sometimes writing in a small notepad. It was hard to tell what T.J. was thinking.

When Hermione returned to Hogwarts, she made sure that she went to the professors of the classes she had missed so that she could retrieve any assignments she'd missed. She went back to her room in Gryffindor's dorm and sat on her bed, processing what she'd just been through. It would be awesome if she was able to snag this job, but if not, at least she knew she gave it her best shot. She began to think about Draco and couldn't wait to see him. Stripping off the dress and boots she'd worn for the interview, Hermione went into her bathroom and took a long hot shower, washing away the stress from the interview. When she was done, she dressed in a comfortable pink T-shirt and pink zebra-striped flannel pajama bottoms. It was only 5:00 p.m. so it was too early to go to Draco's dorm. He had quidditch practice until 6:00 p.m., so she was going to meet him later. She decided to catch up on her homework and didn't notice the time until Ginny knocked at her door.

"Come in," Hermione called out.

"Hey, how did it go today?" Ginny asked. She was still in her quidditch gear, but she was anxious to find out about Hermione's interview.

"I guess okay, but I'm not sure. T.J. is so intimidating. I mean she was nice, but I have no idea what was going through this woman's head as we talked. I don't know if she liked or hated me," Hermione chuckled and shook her head.

"I think you underestimate yourself Hermione. I won't be at all surprised if you get that job," Ginny said and smiled.

"Thanks for the support Gin, but you're my best friend so your opinion is biased," Hermione giggled.

"Be that as it may, but I personally think she would be a fool not to take you on. I'll let you get back to your homework. Ugh I smell like a guy, I'm going hit the shower. I guess you'll be heading out soon," Ginny replied and grinned.

"Yes, I'll be meeting Mr. Malfoy," Hermione answered and gave a knowing smile.

Hermione finished her homework and completed an essay that was due in a few weeks. When she was done she looked at her watch and smiled. It was time to meet Draco. She made her way out of her dorm and headed to Draco's.

Draco had been out of sorts for most of the day. He was distracted in class and at quidditch practice. He couldn't stop thinking about Hermione's meeting. When quidditch practice was over, he went straight to his dorm. As soon as he stepped through the door, he stripped off his gear and took a shower. He stood under the stream of water for a long time, closing his eyes and began to think that it wouldn't be long before Hermione arrived. When he was done, Draco dried off. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. His mood brightened considerably when he saw Hermione lying on her stomach in his bed, thumbing through a book. When she heard him walk in, she looked up and smiled.

"Hi," Hermione said. No matter how many times she had seen Draco in various states of undress; her heart still did a flip-flop when she looked at him, especially when he was only wrapped in a towel. He sat beside her while she sat up and kissed him. Draco returned the kiss hungrily and when they came up for air, Hermione looked at him and smiled.

"Wow, someone missed me today."

"Yes I did. I'm about to show you how much I missed you," Draco murmured as he let the towel fall and took her in his arms. The book Hermione had been reading was soon forgotten and fell to the floor, but they never noticed as they were so caught up in each other.

Draco loved the way Hermione looked up at him, so much trust and love reflected in her eyes. He quickly removed her clothes and moved over her, continuing to kiss her, moving over her neck, breasts, and chest. He just couldn't get enough of her.

Hermione stared into his grey eyes, as he positioned himself above her. He wove her hands into his and held them down against the mattress. He gently pushed apart her legs with his knees and hovered a few moments on top of her, kissing her deeply, and then breaking the kiss so he could look at her. At that moment, he buried himself to the hilt as she gasped. Hermione was not expecting this and was struck by the intensity of feeling behind this action. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and caress his back, but Draco held her hands down as he thrust into her. Hermione wasn't sure if she liked this act of domination, but as he continued to move, she found that she was getting turned on. She started to push against his hands and try to break free of his grip, but Draco growled and tightened his grip. She played along with his little act of domination for a while longer and then succumbed to her passion as she felt her orgasm building. As Draco felt her walls tightening around his cock, he relaxed his grip on her hands and almost sighed when her arms wrapped around his back. He pushed his face into her neck and lightly bit into her shoulder, shuddering as his seed shot up into her.

As they caught their breath, Draco pulled out of her and lay beside her. He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her stomach. He looked at her and gave her a small smile as she ran her fingers in his soft hair. Hermione looked down at him and wondered what just occurred between them. Draco had never been so dominating. Hermione knew that Draco was somewhat possessive but this was the first time it really came out while they made love. Could it be because of her meeting that afternoon?

Seeming to read her thoughts, Draco spoke. "I think I may have gotten a little caught up in the moment. I hope I didn't scare or hurt you."

Hermione shook her head. "No, it was fine. A little different, but we could do it again I suppose."

"Really?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, I kind of liked it," Hermione replied as she bit her lip and looked at him. Draco moved up and kissed her. "You have no idea how happy you make me. You must think I'm terrible, I forgot to ask how your meeting went," Draco replied.

"I don't think you're terrible, I think you were too preoccupied with some other pressing matter," Hermione giggled.

Draco chuckled and nuzzled her neck. "I'll show you a pressing matter in a few minutes! Seriously babe, how did your meeting go?"

Hermione relayed how the interview had gone and how she couldn't gauge T.J.'s reaction, so she had no idea if she was going to be offered the job or not.

As Draco listened and processed this, a part of him still held out hope that there was still a chance she wouldn't be hired. He still couldn't help feeling that this job would not bode well for him and Hermione.

They spoke for a few more minutes and then Draco began kissing her again. They made love again, but this time it was slow and unhurried. When they were done, Hermione fell asleep wrapped in Draco's arms. A few hours later the alarm on her watch went off. She groaned as she slipped out of the warm and comfortable bed. This was getting old and she couldn't wait until Hogwarts was over and she was living on her own. It was going to be so nice to spend the whole night with Draco and not have to worry about getting in trouble.

Friday went by quickly and that evening Hermione was with Draco. They were sitting on the couch in the common room and discussing dinner at his parents' home scheduled for the following evening.

"Draco I'm still a little apprehensive about dinner with your parents. Did they freak when you told them about me?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know if 'freak' is quite the word I'd use. My mum didn't seem to mind, but my father did ask if our relationship was some sort of joke. I made sure that he knew I'm serious about you. He'll be on his best behavior or mother will hex him," Draco replied, kissing her on the forehead.

"That's reassuring," Hermione chuckled.

"It'll be fine, you'll see," Draco said.

Draco was right. The dinner at Malfoy Manor went surprisingly well and no one had to be hexed. Narcissa was very gracious and made Hermione feel very welcome. Lucius even made an effort by asking about her parents and their roles in the muggle community. When dinner was over, Hermione thanked the Malfoys and they told her they enjoyed having her. Hermione was shocked to say the least, but was glad. Lucius and Narcissa were definitely trying and at no time during the dinner did Hermione feel as if she were being scrutinized as a "mudblood."

Before they left the Manor, Draco took her out to garden in the rear of the house. Hermione looked around in amazement at the beautifully landscaped garden. There was a large fountain set in the middle of it. The fountain was a circular design carved with images of dragons and mythological figures. At certain intervals, sprays of water shot out, lit up by different colors of light.

"Draco, this is so beautiful," Hermione gasped.

"You're beautiful, come here," Draco said huskily.

Hermione went to him and he pulled her against him, hugging her tightly. She squealed and giggled as he lifted her off of her feet.

"I think dinner went well. Do you think your parents approved of me?" Hermione teased.

"Dinner went very well. I think you were above and beyond their expectations," Draco chuckled and kissed her, still holding her up and swung her around as she laughed out loud.

Unbeknownst to the young couple, Narcissa watched them from a distance. As she watched, her breath caught and she placed a hand over her heart. She had never seen Draco as happy as he was tonight. The young couple soon disapparated from the garden. Narcissa walked to her bedroom and was still smiling as she prepared for bed. Blood status meant nothing to her. As far as she was concerned, if Hermione Granger made her only child happy, who cared what type of blood ran in her veins? When she opened the door to her bedroom, Lucius was in bed reading a book. He looked up when she walked in.

"Was that so bad? I thought Ms. Granger was charming," Narcissa said as she removed her dress.

"I'll admit dinner wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it would be. Draco seems to be very taken with her," Lucius replied, putting his book aside.

"Lucius, do you think they're sleeping together?" Narcissa asked with a look of concern on her face.

"Is a pig's arse pork? Of course they are, I can tell by the way they look at each other," Lucius snorted.

"Do you have to be so crass? You have to understand that I still think of Draco as my little boy. It's hard to believe that the day will come when he'll be married and have a family of his own," Narcissa replied.

"I think we have some time before Draco settles down. I think Ms. Granger is a passing fancy and there'll probably be a few more witches who come and go in Draco's life before he makes a commitment," Lucius drawled.

"I suppose you're right," Narcissa answered but deep down she didn't agree with her husband. She thought of the way Draco looked at Hermione Granger and that was way more than a passing fancy. Draco was in love with the young woman.

Hermione smiled when she realized Draco had brought them to his house. As soon as Draco unlocked the door, he pulled Hermione inside and pushed her against the wall of the foyer. Before she could catch her breath, his lips were on hers, kissing her deeply. Everything began to move quickly from there for the next thing she knew the silk blouse she'd worn for dinner was being torn off of her body, but she didn't care. She ripped Draco's shirt apart and unbuckled the belt on his trousers. He bunched up her skirt up to her waist and pulled down her panties, inserting two fingers inside of her as he continued kissing her. Hermione moaned with pleasure as he pumped his fingers in and out of her and then positioned his thumb over her clit, gently rubbing it. She brought her hands down to his trousers, pulling them down and bringing his boxer shorts down with them. He hissed as she rubbed his stiff length. With that, Draco removed his hand from her wet quim and grabbed her legs, wrapping them around his waist. He rammed his firm cock into her heat as she gasped and gripped his shoulders. Draco wanted to make it last but as he thrust into Hermione and watched how sexy and gorgeous she looked in that position, it only took a few minutes and he reached his climax.

"Wow, what was that?" Hermione asked as she caught her breath.

"I don't know what came over me. I couldn't wait to be alone with you and this was all I was thinking about tonight so as soon as we walked in here, I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry I ripped your shirt," Draco grinned.

"I can get another shirt. This was just so freaking intense. I've never met anyone like you before," Hermione said as she looked at him.

"I can't explain it Hermione, you make me feel things like I've never felt before. I'm so in love with you," Draco said softly as looked into her eyes and pushed a few stray curls away from her face.

"I love you too Draco," Hermione replied and kissed him. She truly did love him, but her more sensible side was a little troubled by Draco's actions in the last few days. He was becoming more possessive and it was starting to come out when they made love. Hermione wasn't sure if she should be flattered or wary that his feelings were so intense for her.

The next few weeks passed by quickly. Draco and Hermione followed their same routine of Thursday and Friday nights at Hogwarts, and then they'd return home on the weekends. Sometimes they would meet with her friends or just hang out at Draco's house. Her parents had invited Draco to dinner and it had gone well. Hermione was amazed at the way Draco charmed her mother and was slowly endearing himself to her father.

Hermione was also glad that Draco wasn't acting as possessive as he had been a few weeks before. Their lovemaking routine returned to normal; Draco didn't try to dominate her or hold her down. She couldn't help thinking that this was spurred on because of the possibility of a job with T.J. Was Draco afraid that the job would keep her away from him?

A few weeks had passed since her meeting with T.J., so Hermione figured she didn't get the position. She did think it was a bit rude that no one at Mesmerize had the common courtesy to let her know anything. Hermione decided to put it out of her mind and not worry about it.

One day in Advanced Potions class, she was summoned to Professor McGonagall's office. Hermione had no idea what this could be about. It had been months since she'd snuck out of Hogwarts and as far as she knew Filch never saw her leave Draco's dorm in the early morning hours. When she reached the door of the office, she took a deep breath before giving the password. When the door opened she walked in and stopped in her tracks. T.J. was sitting across from Professor McGonagall and sipping on a cup of tea, chatting with the older woman. She smiled when she saw Hermione and put down her cup of tea.

"Hermione, how are you? I'm sorry if I disturbed you, I know you're in class," T.J. said.

"I'm good. How are you? I'm just a little confused as to why you're here. You said you'd send an owl," Hermione replied.

"I'm just dandy. About that owl, I was going to send one, but I decided I wanted to tell you this in person. Why don't you have a seat," T.J. answered and smiled.

"Okay," Hermione said, smiling nervously and looking from T.J. to Professor McGonagall. She had a feeling she knew what this meeting was about.

"I wanted to let you know that the position is yours if you still want it. I'm sorry about the delay, that was rude, but I got called to go back to the States and it took longer than I thought," T.J. started to explain but was interrupted when Hermione stood up and hugged her.

"Oh Merlin, you mean I have the job?" Hermione said excitedly. T.J. chuckled and nodded. "I'm so sorry I hugged you, it's just that I'm so happy! I can't wait to get started!"

"It's okay girl. I can't wait to get started too! Something tells me you and I will make a good team. I just have a good feeling about you Hermione Granger," T.J. said.

"T.J., thank you so much for this opportunity. I promise I won't let you down," Hermione replied.

"I know you won't. I'm glad this went well. I suppose you need to get back to class and I need to get my butt back to London. I'll stay in contact with you and let you know more what exactly your duties will be and your pay of course. You graduate in two months correct?" T.J. asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, on Saturday, June 8th."

"Okay, how about you meet me at Mesmerize at 8:00 a.m. sharp, Monday June 10th?" T.J. grinned.

"Definitely, I'll be counting the days!" Hermione replied happily.

"That's what I like to hear. I'll be in touch. Professor McGonagall, thank you again for allowing me to use your office," T.J. said.

"It was my pleasure dear. It was very nice meeting you," Professor McGonagall answered. She was glad to do this for Hermione, who would always be one of her favorite students. Like Ginny, the Professor was a bit shocked when this was the line of work Hermione wanted to get into, but she knew Hermione Granger was a smart girl and probably had her reasons for this choice.

Hermione walked back to class, still not quite believing what just occurred. She did it; she was going to be working with T.J. As she made her way down the hall, the classes were changing and the students poured into the hall. When she spotted a familiar redhead, Hermione called out to Ginny. Ginny smiled when she saw Hermione and waded through the bodies so she could get to her friend.

"Hey, what's up? You are positively radiant," Ginny said.

"I just found out that I have the job with T.J.," Hermione replied and grinned from ear to ear.

"That's wonderful Hermione! Congratulations! Oh shit, you know what this means?" Ginny exclaimed.

Hermione nodded, still grinning. "We need to go looking for a flat!"

"Exactly! This is so exciting, everything is falling into place," Ginny said and hugged Hermione.

Hermione hugged her back and then said, "We better get to class. I'll talk to you later, but I wanted to let you know."

"I'm glad you did. Didn't I tell you that you had nothing to worry about? See you," Ginny said and smiled as she jogged to her next class.

As she walked to her next class, Hermione couldn't stop smiling. This had to be one of the best days of her life. An opportunity to work with someone like T.J. didn't come along every day, she felt so fortunate that she was chosen for the job. She couldn't wait to tell Draco.

**Hmm, wonder what Draco's reaction is going to be? Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Always, thank you so much for the reviews and the alerts! I'm so glad so many of you are liking this story, makes my day!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter Twelve**

**Disclaimer:**** Guess what? It still belongs to Ms. J.K. Rowling, only now it's added with my sassy little Dramione twists!**

Draco smiled when he heard the door to his dorm open. He was sitting at a desk in the common room and stood up, walking towards the door. His heart leapt when Hermione jumped into his arms, hugging and kissing him.

"Hey, I'm glad to see you too!" Draco chuckled as he hugged her back and moved to kiss her neck.

Hermione moved away before he could and looked at him with a huge grin. "I just had the most amazing news today! You're looking at T.J.'s newest assistant! Draco, I was so shocked, I really thought I didn't have the job. I can't wait to get started," she gushed.

The initial joy Draco felt when she first walked in faded and his heart dropped, but he managed to smile, hiding his disappointment. "That's great love, congratulations. We're going to have to celebrate," he said as he pulled her back to him.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. "We can have our own little celebration right here."

Draco smirked and raised his eyebrows, his disappointment at her revelation forgotten when he saw how she was looking at him. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. Hermione squealed with delight as he easily hoisted her over one shoulder and carried her to his bedroom.

About an hour later after their desire had been sated, Draco and Hermione were lying side by side in his bed talking quietly. Draco listened as Hermione spoke about the job.

"I still want to pinch myself. Ginny was so excited too. We're going to look at flats this weekend."

This got Draco's attention. He sat up and looked down at Hermione. "Why are you going to be looking at flats?"

"Gin and I have been discussing getting a flat together. We both want to move out of our parents' homes. It's going to be so nice to have my own space; I'll be able to come and go as I please," Hermione replied.

"Hermione, I have plenty of room at my house. Why don't you move in with me?" Draco asked.

"Draco that's very generous of you, but I couldn't possibly move in with you. My parents would have a fit!" Hermione chuckled but stopped when she saw anger and disappointment on his face. "Are you upset?"

Draco was silent for a few moments before he spoke. "I just assumed that you wanted to be with me once we finished here at Hogwarts. I had no idea you wanted to go gallivanting on your own with Ginny Weasley," he said with a flat tone, turning away from her.

Hermione sat up and looked at him, but Draco didn't look at her. She gently grasped his chin and turned his face towards hers. He still looked pissed. "I'm not 'gallivanting' with anyone Draco. I'll probably be at your house more than the flat I'll be getting with Gin. You have to understand that my parents and hers would never agree if I moved in with you or Ginny moved in with Harry."

"It's just so unreasonable Hermione. Why should you be paying a fee to live somewhere when you could be living for free with me? I'll take care of everything, you'll want for nothing," Draco replied, his tone and expression softening. He caressed her cheek with his right hand and brought her hand that was holding his chin to his lips, kissing it softly.

"Draco, that's so generous of you, but I want to see what it's like to be on my own. I need to carve out my own niche in the world," Hermione replied.

"What if this keeps us apart? What then?" Draco asked.

"Draco where is this coming from? Just because I'll have my own flat doesn't mean we'll be kept apart. We'll still see each other. It'll be great to not have to sneak out by a certain time. You can spend the night at my place or I can stay with you," Hermione replied. _He is acting like such an insecure git!_

"Hermione, your parents are far from being daft. They have to know we're sleeping together. What the hell is the difference if you have your own place or move in with me?" Draco asked, exasperated and running his hands through his hair.

"The difference is that they still see me as their little girl. They won't accept me living with someone unless I have a ring on my finger and I'm married," Hermione said jokingly, but she was serious.

"That can be arranged," Draco said under his breath.

"Did you say something?" Hermione asked.

Draco shook his head and sighed. "I see your point. I'm sure we'll be able to work it out." He was still upset about this, but he didn't want to have an argument. He fell against the bed and pulled her down with him, nuzzling her neck as she giggled.

"I'm glad we had this talk," Hermione said.

"Me too, but enough talking, I have something else to take care of," Draco said and began kissing her deeply before she could reply.

Hermione was relieved that this discussion which seemed to be on the edge of a heated argument, was forgotten as she responded to his kiss. Although Draco was only the second man she'd ever been with, she knew deep down that no other man would ever have this effect on her.

Draco loved the sweet groans and sighs coming from her as he kissed her mouth, and then moved down to her neck and chest. He lovingly rubbed her breasts, or as he liked to think, his breasts. He wanted every part of Hermione to belong to him and no one else. She was his. Taking one nub in his mouth and flicking the nipple with his tongue, he watched she gasped with delight. It wasn't long before her hips started moving against his. He knew what she wanted and Draco happily obliged her as he slowly entered her. He looked down at her and closed his eyes as he felt her hands in his hair, he savored her touch. They moved together slowly and in that moment Draco there was no place in the world he would rather be.

Hermione kissed his neck and collarbone as Draco pushed into her. As she watched him she wondered why he was so on edge about her moving in with Ginny. He had to know how much she loved him and would never do anything to hurt him. Hermione stopped thinking as his thrusts became more urgent and she became lost in their lovemaking.

When the weekend arrived, Ginny and Hermione spent most of Saturday morning and afternoon looking at flats for lease in London. The young women wanted something close to Mesmerize and the Holyheads' stadium. They were afraid that their whole day was going to be wasted because the places they liked were way over their budget and the ones they could afford were total hovels. Hermione was beginning to wonder if she and Ginny would be able to pull this off. Real estate was so expensive. Just as she was about to call it a day, Ginny asked if she wanted to look at one more place.

"Since we're out and about, why don't we take a look? It can't be much worse than some of the places we've seen today. It's also in our price range," Ginny said.

Hermione sighed. "Lead the way, but let's not get our hopes up."

"Don't let this get you down. We've just started looking, something's going to come up," Ginny said optimistically.

Hermione was expecting another apartment building, so she was pleasantly surprised when Ginny led her to a small cottage. The cottage resembled a home Hermione had once seen in a children's book when she was a child. It was painted a pale buttercup shade with green trim and shutters. The front of the house had steps of cement leading to a small porch with two rocking chairs. She thought it was adorable and couldn't wait to see the inside. The front door opened and an elderly woman came out, smiling.

"Hello, you must be Ginerva Weasley and Hermione Granger, come in," she said.

Ginny and Hermione walked in and greeted her. As soon as they walked in, Hermione felt a sense of comfort. She knew that this was a home of happy memories. Although it was empty, she could visualize what the home looked like with furniture and family moving about.

"My name is Mrs. Tinley Noble. I was pleased to receive your owl Ms. Weasley; I've known your parents for years. My husband Wilbur worked in the same department at the Ministry as your father. He always spoke so highly of Arthur," Mrs. Noble said as she introduced herself.

"Please call me Ginny Mrs. Noble. My father told me that Mr. Noble passed away about a year ago, I'm very sorry for your loss," Ginny said.

"Thank you dear. It's been difficult without him, but with each day it gets a little easier," Mrs. Noble smiled, but had a sad look in her eyes.

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other, both girls wanting to cry. This was so heartbreaking. Mrs. Noble went on to give them a tour of the rest of the cottage which was surprisingly quite spacious with 3 bedrooms and two baths. The young women couldn't believe that the rent was going to be so reasonable, but Mrs. Noble told them that she was giving them a discount because she knew the Weasleys and was grateful for Hermione's role in the war. Mr. and Mrs. Noble had raised their two sons in this home, but they were now grown with families of their own. When Mr. Noble passed away, the home was way too big for Mrs. Noble, so she decided to rent it out. She was very picky about her renters; in fact Ginny and Hermione were the first ones she was renting the home to. She could sense that they were good girls. They put down the deposit and the first months' rent that day. There was still a month and a half to go before they were done at Hogwarts, but they were going to spend the remainder of their weekends moving in and fixing up the place.

They told Mrs. Noble goodbye and left the home in high spirits. Both girls squealed with delight; they really did it, they got their own place! Hermione couldn't wait to tell Draco about it. She was going to meet him at his house tonight. She told her parents that she was sleeping over at Ginny's and Ginny told hers that she was sleeping over at Hermione's. This was a common occurrence between the two friends.

Hermione left for Draco's and Ginny headed over to Grimmauld Place. She disapparated to the backyard of Draco's home. He told her earlier that he left the backdoor open so when she arrived, she could just walk in. Once she got there, she entered the kitchen. She didn't see Draco, so she called out for him.

"Draco, it's me. Where are you?" Hermione called out. She couldn't help comparing this home to the cottage. This house was so big and sterile compared to the homey cottage she and Ginny were going to be moving into.

"Hey babe, I'm in the living room," Draco said.

Hermione smiled and followed his voice. When she got into the living room, Draco was looking at a state-of-the-art sound system, fooling around with the remote control. Hermione giggled at this and said, "Step away from that muggle device before you hurt yourself."

"Please show me how to work this thing. I wanted to surprise you. This sound system is supposed to play music throughout the whole house, but I can't seem to make it work," Draco said.

Hermione was touched by Draco doing this for her. He knew how much she enjoyed music and it was a huge part of her life. She walked over to him and took the remote. Hermione pressed a few buttons and the music began to play softly in the background. She showed Draco what she had done and he rolled his eyes.

"I was pressing the buttons in the wrong order. Damn muggle products, I couldn't enchant it either," Draco scoffed.

"I'm sure we would've figured it out eventually," Hermione giggled again.

"Mm I missed you. Were you and Ginny successful in your quest for a flat?" Draco asked as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Hermione kissed him back and proceeded to tell him about the cottage. Draco listened to her and could see how excited she was about having her own place. Initially he wasn't too thrilled about it, but after thinking things through, he decided that he needed to give Hermione her space. Draco was so glad that she was here to spend the night with him.

They sat on the couch and spoke for a few more minutes. A slow song by a wizard band came on. It was called "Love is Never Easy." Hermione had first heard it last summer and hummed along. Draco watched her for a few moments and then stood up, taking her hand. She looked up at him questioningly.

"Dance with me," Draco said softly.

"Here?" Hermione asked.

Draco nodded. "Why not? There's plenty of room."

"Yes there definitely is. Lead the way Mr. Malfoy," Hermione chuckled as Draco pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her, swaying softly. Hermione put her arms around his neck and looked up at him. "This is really nice."

"I agree, I love this," Draco said as they moved slowly across the floor.

Hermione rested her head on his chest and moved with him. This felt so natural to her; she and Draco were so in sync with each other. When the song ended, she thought they were going to stop dancing, but another slow song came on, "I've Been in Love Before," by the Cutting Crew. Hermione recognized it as a muggle song from the 80s. Draco looked down at her and kissed her forehead as they continued to move slowly around the room. It was then that Hermione realized Draco had compiled a whole bunch of slow songs on a playlist, wizard and muggle bands. She was impressed.

After a few more dances, Draco led her upstairs to his bedroom. They shed their clothes and fell into bed together, making love slowly and taking their time exploring each other's bodies. When their passion had been quenched, the couple fell into a contented and uninterrupted slumber.

When morning arrived, Hermione woke up to an empty bed. She frowned at first, wondering if Draco was in the bathroom, but then a smile lit up her face when she heard sounds downstairs, and smelled breakfast being prepared. Her stomach growled when the odor of bacon sizzling hit her. She found her panties on the floor and entered the bathroom. After peeing and brushing her teeth, Hermione grabbed one of Draco's T-shirts from a bureau near the bed. She smiled when she slipped it on and the hemline reached her knees. She loved that Draco was so much taller than she was.

Draco looked up when Hermione walked into the kitchen and laughed when he saw her in his T-shirt.

"You are so freaking adorable in my clothes. Come here," Draco said.

"This smells amazing. I'm starving," Hermione replied as she walked over to him. Draco kissed her softly and led her to a small breakfast nook, where he'd prepared a plate for her. Hermione was pleasantly surprised. "You're so full of surprises this weekend! Did you actually cook this or was it a house elf?"

"I'll have you know I prepared this myself babe. I'm quite handy in the kitchen," Draco quipped as he took a seat beside her. "Let's eat."

Hermione grinned and took a bite of the stack of pancakes in front of her. She closed her eyes as she savored the taste of the food. "Draco, this is really good. Where did you learn to cook?"

"Thank you. My parents went away a lot when I was younger, so there were plenty of times I was alone with the house elves. I was bored one day so I decided to learn how to cook," Draco replied.

"This is great, it's almost better than sex," Hermione said.

"I wouldn't go that far, especially after last night," Draco leered.

"I knew that would get your attention. I have to agree; there's no way food compares to sex, especially with you," Hermione replied and looked at him.

"I love you Hermione. I wish every morning could be like this," Draco said.

"I love you too Draco and we'll have plenty of opportunities like this once we're done at Hogwarts," Hermione answered.

They continued their meal and when they were done, Hermione helped him clean up, liking that Draco let her do it the "muggle" way. Once they were finished, Draco chased Hermione back into the bedroom and they had another "roll in the hay" before she returned home.

In the last weekends left before they completed their schooling, Ginny and Hermione settled into their rented cottage. Hermione loved how their furniture was a hodgepodge of different pieces from items her parents had in storage to muggle items Arthur Weasley had collected over the years. It went well with the home and gave it a funky, fun feel.

Draco, along with Harry and Ron, helped the girls move. When they had accomplished everything, Ginny and Hermione prepared a spaghetti dinner, serving it on mismatched plates. They were so happy at how well everything was working out and couldn't wait to move in permanently.

After their meal, they all sat in the comfortable living room chatting quietly, listening to music, and drinking muggle beer. Ron was the first one to leave; he had a date with Clarissa that night. When he was gone, Hermione turned to Ginny.

"Wow, Ron's been seeing her since January and it's now May. What happened to him being in the "Girl of the Month" club?" Hermione joked but was glad to see that Ron was happy.

"He and Clarissa really hit it off. I like her and so does the rest of our family. She fits in well," Ginny replied.

The two couples hung out for a little longer and then Harry stood up to leave. He had things to do the next morning and wanted to get home. Ginny followed him.

"Gin, are you going to be back or are you staying at Harry's," Hermione asked.

"She's all mine tonight," Harry smiled and pulled Ginny close to him.

Ginny smiled and said, "I guess that answers your question. I'll see you at Hogwarts."

Draco and Hermione told them goodnight and watched as they left. When they were gone, he turned to Hermione.

"And where might you be staying tonight Ms. Granger?" Draco asked in a seductive tone and pulled her against him.

"Since we're settled in, I think I'm going to spend the night here and get used to my new digs," Hermione replied playfully as she fooled with the buttons on his shirt.

"Do you want some company?" Draco asked softly as he nuzzled her ear with his nose.

"Maybe…keep doing that," Hermione gasped as he moved down and kissed her neck.

It didn't take long for them to head to Hermione's bedroom, a trail of clothes leading to the door. They ended up "blessing" Hermione's bed three times that night and once in the morning. Draco woke up before Hermione the next morning and looked at her beside him. He felt like the luckiest man alive and never would've imagined he'd be so in love with Hermione Granger.

The next month seemed to fly by and before Draco, Ginny, and Hermione knew it, they were finished at Hogwarts. As they celebrated with their family and friends afterwards, Draco and Hermione introduced their parents to each other. Hermione held her breath as her father and Lucius shook hands and let it out when Lucius was actually polite, even asking her father about his dental practice. Narcissa was gracious and had a nice conversation with Hermione's mother and complimented her dress.

There was a reception in the Great Hall with food, music, and dancing. Narcissa and Mrs. Granger watched as their children danced. Narcissa was touched when she saw how Draco and Hermione looked at each other as if they were the only two people in the room. This also did not go unnoticed by Mrs. Granger and although she thought that Hermione was a bit young to be involved in such a close relationship, she also knew that sometimes people were fortunate enough to find their true love early on in life. She only hoped that Hermione would use good judgment and not rush into something as serious as marriage too soon. She had heard stories of how some wizarding marriages took place right after the couples finished their schooling. As far as she and Mr. Granger were concerned, a nice long engagement would do very well, thank you very much.

Draco smiled as he led Hermione across the dance floor. It was hard to believe that they were finally done with Hogwarts. Hogwarts played such an integral part in their lives in the last few years. Draco was glad that he finished his last year otherwise he would've never gotten with Hermione. He couldn't wait to start a new life with her.

Hermione loved Draco's arms around her and moved with him. She looked out at their classmates and wondered if she would see some of them again. It was truly unreal when one stopped to think about everything that happened in the last few years with the fall of Voldemort and the war. Hermione would be eternally grateful that she decided to come back for her last year at Hogwarts. She had to wonder if this was fate that had intervened or if she and Draco would've eventually found each other after Hogwarts. Mentally shaking her head for she knew that she overanalyzed things, she let her mind relax and decided to enjoy being in the moment as she let her head rest on Draco's chest.

Much to Draco's disappointment, Hermione went home with her parents. She told him that she wanted to spend time with them before she started her new job on Monday. With that, Draco returned to Malfoy Manor with his parents. Lucius went over a few items he'd need to know when he started working full-time at Malfoy Industries that Monday, but Draco was well-prepared. He had been groomed for this position since he was young boy.

Ginny and Hermione were giddy on Sunday afternoon as they prepared lasagna together. They had accomplished it, their own place and they were on their desired career paths. While they waited for the lasagna to cook in the oven, they relaxed in their living room. Hermione switched on the telly and found a muggle reality program about different personalities clashing as they cohabitated.

"Gosh Gin, I hope nothing like that ever happens to us," Hermione joked as they watched two women argue over an article of clothing.

"Can you imagine us fighting over a bra? Seriously," Gin chuckled and rolled her eyes.

Since Ginny was set to start training with the Holyheads the next day as Hermione was starting her new job, they decided that they would try to get to bed early. Harry was out on assignment, so Ginny was determined to have a goodnight's sleep. After the young women ate their dinner, they cleaned up the kitchen and went to their rooms. When Hermione entered her room, she gathered a nightgown and panties, and then headed to a bathroom in the hall for a quick shower. As soon as that was done, she went back to her room and climbed into bed with a new muggle mystery novel. After a few minutes, the events of the weekend caught up with her and she fell asleep, thinking about Draco and how much she missed him.

Draco left Malfoy Manor and returned to his home late Sunday afternoon. He sighed as he walked into the empty and quiet house; it was so much better when Hermione was there with him. Like Ginny and Hermione, he decided to turn in early too. Monday was going to be a big day for him and the beginning of what he hoped was going to a great and fulfilling career. As he dozed off he thought about Hermione and how much he missed her. He was definitely going to have to see her tomorrow.

Hermione grimaced as she looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror of her bedroom. She was so nervous to start her new job. Sure, she had worked at Mesmerize last summer but this time was going to be totally different. She hoped she made the right decision to wear a short, paneled plum-colored sheath dress paired with black high-heeled sandals for her first day. Ginny poked her head in Hermione's room.

"Ooh, I like that. You look nice," Ginny said and smiled.

"Thanks Gin, I'm just a bundle of nerves. So you really think this will be okay for my first day?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, it's very stylish and that color becomes you. You'll be fine Hermione," Ginny reassured her.

"I wish I could go to work in shorts and a T-shirt," Hermione joked as she took in Ginny's outfit and grinned.

"Well think of me sweating in a quidditch pitch while you're in a cool office," Ginny chuckled as she gathered her gear.

The two young women took deep breaths and wished each other good luck as they used the fireplace in the cottage as a floo network. Ginny went first and Hermione went right after. She arrived at Mesmerize about 10 minutes before 8:00 a.m. That worked out well for her because it would give her a little extra time to adjust. Hermione darted into the women's restroom to touch up her lipstick. When she was done, she looked in the mirror and gave a tentative smile.

"Here goes nothing. It's now or never," Hermione said to herself as she walked out of the restroom and headed towards T.J.'s office.

Draco arrived at his workplace a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. He knew the staff at his family's company probably expected him to be a slacker and come and go as he pleased, but Draco wanted to prove them wrong. He was determined to put Malfoy Industries back on top in the wizarding world. He liked seeing the surprised and shocked faces when he walked into the board meeting. Lucius gestured to the chair at the head of the conference table and Draco took his seat. Draco looked around him and then spoke.

"Good morning. Let's get this ball rolling shall we," Draco said as he took his seat and pulled documents out of a briefcase. Lucius would never admit it, but he was so proud of the way Draco took control of the meeting. He had taught his son well.

After Hermione arrived in T.J.'s office, she had to fill out some mandatory paperwork, and once that was completed, she and T.J. began working. Hermione liked that T.J. didn't stay behind her desk; the woman was a whirlwind of energy. She explained to Hermione that the training process which involved staying in the office would take about two weeks. From there, they were going to start exploring the clubs, muggle and wizard, to find new talent. T.J. was grooming Hermione to take over the UK talent search division of Mesmerize. Hermione was also going to have opportunities to travel to the United States and work with T.J. there too. T.J.'s last assistant, Dina, left the job after being with T.J. for over 7 years. Dina had gotten married in that time and when she became pregnant with her first child, she decided that she wanted to be a stay-at-home mum. T.J. missed her and still kept in touch with her. She wondered if she would ever be able to replace her, but as she worked with Hermione, she was pretty sure she had found a suitable replacement.

Hermione couldn't believe how quickly the morning had flown by. When it was about 11:50 a.m., T.J. suggested that they should break for lunch. T.J. was staying in and was eating a cup of noodles. She offered Hermione some, but Hermione told her she was going to grab something at one of the nearby muggle eateries located near Mesmerize.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" Hermione asked.

"Thanks, but I'm good with noodles. Girl, sometimes I'm just too keyed up to eat. Go and have a good lunch. I'll see you at 1:00 p.m." T.J. replied and smiled.

Hermione smiled back and waved. As she walked to the front lobby, she thought about what she was going to eat. She would probably order a sandwich to go and bring it back to the office. As she pondered this, she was shocked when she reached the lobby. There was Draco waiting for her. The receptionist gave Hermione an apologetic look.

"Hermione, I just buzzed T.J.'s office and she said you were on your way, so as you can see there's a Mr. Draco Malfoy here to see you."

"Thank you Tracey," Hermione replied. She smiled at Draco. "I wasn't expecting to you until tonight."

"I couldn't wait until then. I wanted to see how your first day was going," Draco answered as he drank in her form in the fitted dress. "Can I take you to lunch?"

"Sure, that was where I was headed," Hermione replied and took his hand. The receptionist watched them walk out with a wistful look. She thought Hermione sure was one lucky gal to have such a handsome wizard as a boyfriend.

_Draco is so freaking gorgeous in his suit,_ Hermione thought to herself as she walked beside him. Draco was wearing a lightweight pale gray suit. It was obvious that the suit was tailored and it fit him to perfection. He had worn dress robes over it to work, but removed them before meeting Hermione since she worked in an area that was in close proximity to muggles.

_She is so fucking hot in that dress, but does it have to be so short…_Draco thought as he walked beside Hermione. He didn't like the way his girlfriend was being checked out by every man they passed. Hermione seemed oblivious to the attention as she chatted with Draco about her morning.

They decided to eat at a small muggle café. While they waited to be seated, Draco stood behind Hermione and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her cheek as she leaned back into him. He couldn't wait until he had her all to himself later. It wasn't long before they were seated. Once they placed their order, Draco spoke.

"I really missed you this weekend. Did you have a nice time with your parents?" Draco asked as he took a sip of his iced tea. He was surprised that it was just as refreshing as pumpkin juice. Since the war ended, he was much more open to trying out new things, especially muggle food and drinks.

"I missed you too Draco, but I felt like I needed to spend time with them especially since Ginny and I have our own place," Hermione said.

Their food soon arrived and before they knew it, the lunch hour was almost up. Draco walked Hermione back to her office. Draco was a bit shocked when he first stepped in and the receptionist had pink and orange hair, with multiple piercings on her face and ears. There was also a muggle song playing loudly throughout the office. He saw that there were plenty of young people milling about, most of them wearing muggle jeans and tops. He would've never imagined Hermione working in what he considered a somewhat unprofessional environment, but she seemed to like it.

When they arrived at Hermione's office, he walked in with Hermione. He had to restrain his urge to grimace at the loud music playing. His father would never tolerate such nonsense at their office. Draco couldn't believe it when he saw Byron Clements behind the receptionist's desk and he was dancing with her. He looked at Hermione with raised eyebrows, but her head was turned and she was chuckling at the couple dancing.

"You're welcome to join at any time Hermione baby," Byron laughed when he saw her, but his demeanor changed when he saw the look on Draco's face. "Or maybe not," he said.

Draco couldn't believe it when Hermione brought him to the receptionist's desk so that he could be formally introduced to Byron. Draco remembered seeing him at Gene's. He didn't like the way Byron called Hermione baby. The two men were introduced and they shook hands. Byron didn't miss the firmness of Draco's grip and knew the younger man was sending him a message of "hands off" regarding Hermione. Byron thought that Draco was a bit of a douche, but obviously the dude meant something to Hermione.

Hermione noticed the way Draco looked at Byron and felt badly about it. When Draco left, she turned to Byron and apologized.

"I'm sorry about that. Draco sometimes comes on a little strong," Hermione said.

"It's all good. So how is your first day going?" Byron asked. He didn't want to let on to Hermione what he really thought of Draco, so he quickly changed the subject to work. He and Hermione chatted as they walked back to T.J.'s office.

Hermione was relieved that Byron didn't think anything about Draco's behavior. The afternoon went by quickly. When 5:00 p.m. arrived, Hermione realized she had made it through her first day unscathed. Her feelings of nervousness had disappeared and she was actually looking forward to her first day of work.

When she arrived home, she jumped in the shower. As soon as she was dried off, she changed into jean shorts and a red cotton camisole. She pulled her hair up in a high ponytail and didn't bother with makeup since she was going to be sleeping over at Draco's. Hermione packed a bag with her outfit for the next day, along with toiletries. Slipping her feet into flip-flops, she walked to the floo network and called out Draco's house address. She had sent an owl to Ginny earlier letting her know that she wouldn't be there. Ginny had plans of her own for that evening since Harry was back from his assignment. Harry was meeting her for dinner and a sleepover.

Hermione arrived at Draco's only to discover that he wasn't home yet. She let herself into the house with the key had given her. When she walked in, she went up to the bedroom and put away her things. The next thing she did was go downstairs to the kitchen. Peering into the refrigerator, she noticed right off that it was well-stocked. She decided to look into the freezer and raised her eyebrows in appreciation. There were plenty of meals available. She decided to prepare a pot roast, placing it in a pan, and popping it in the oven. She then gathered a head of lettuce, along with tomatoes, and cucumbers. Hermione was preparing the vegetables for salads when Draco walked in. He leaned on the doorjamb of the kitchen and watched her work.

He walked in and Hermione smiled up at him, continuing to make the salads.

"I hope you don't mind, but I thought it would be nice to have dinner when you arrived," Hermione said.

"I don't mind at all. You can do anything you want," Draco said as he kissed her bare shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and watched as she worked. He could get so used to coming home to Hermione like this. If only she would see how good it would be if she moved in with him.

He chuckled as Hermione slapped his hands away. He kissed her again and told her that he was going to change into something more comfortable. He went upstairs and took off his robe and suit, changing into shorts and a T-shirt. When he came back to the kitchen, he and Hermione chatted about their day. It wasn't long before Hermione had everything prepared and they had dinner.

"You have so much food! It was a tough decision to choose what to make for dinner," Hermione said.

"I know. My mum makes sure to keep it well-stocked. She thinks that I'll starve to death without it," Draco chuckled.

When they were done with dinner, they decided to make it an early night and headed to bed. Hermione let Draco undress her as he kissed every part of her body. She ran her fingers through his hair as he knelt before her and held her close.

"I missed you so much. I'm glad you're here," Draco said softly.

Hermione knelt down in front of him and brought his face up to meet hers. "I'm glad to be here too Draco. I thought about this all day."

With that, Draco kissed her with all of the pent-up passion he'd been holding back. Hermione kissed him back just as fervently as they fell onto his bed. They definitely made up for lost time that evening.

Hermione was up before Draco the next morning. She went into the bathroom, bringing her clothes and toiletries with her. She stepped into the shower and closed her eyes as the warm water cascaded over her. She was a little startled when Draco walked in with her, but she soon got over it and welcomed him. They had a quick lovemaking session against the wall of the shower before finishing. Draco smiled at Hermione as they were drying off.

"I think every morning should start off like that," Draco said.

"Is that all you ever think about?" Hermione teased and stepped away when Draco tried to give her a playful slap on her buttocks.

"I don't hear any complaints from you," Draco shot back.

Hermione only smiled and then stuck her tongue out at him. He watched as she performed a drying spell on her hair and then put on her underwear. He just couldn't get enough of her. Draco even liked watching her apply her makeup. There was just something about the way she applied her lipstick that turned him on.

Before he'd pounce on her again, he stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. His clothes for the day were laid out. He changed into a black suit and dress robes, looking wickedly handsome. He was slipping his feet into black dress shoes but stopped when Hermione stepped into the bedroom.

Hermione was wearing a low-cut and fitted gray jersey knit blouse and a black miniskirt. She was slipping on a pair of black flats when she noticed Draco staring at her.

"Is something wrong? Is my lipstick smeared?" Hermione asked and smiled.

"Is that what you're wearing to work?" Draco asked.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Hermione asked and wondered where this was heading.

"Isn't that skirt a bit short for the office?" Draco asked, for a moment sounding like Professor Snape.

"No it isn't. Since Mesmerize is located so close to muggles, we have to dress to fit in. You've been in the office, no one wears dress robes," Hermione replied.

"I just think it would be more appropriate if you wore a longer skirt and a jacket perhaps," Draco said as he continued to stare. It was burning him up inside seeing her dressed that way. He couldn't bear the thought of other wizards or muggle men looking at her.

"Draco, I'm not some old maid in her 50s or 60s. No one my age wears anything like that! Maybe I would've worn something like that if I worked at the Ministry, but thank Merlin I don't. It's so nice to be out of those Hogwarts robes and wear fun clothes. Look, I really need to get going and I'm sure you do too," Hermione said and hoped that Draco would drop it.

"I guess I don't know what the current styles are. If you're comfortable wearing that, then by all means wear it," Draco said in a dismissive tone and walked out of the bedroom.

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't believe he was that upset about her outfit. She left the bedroom and walked past him without saying anything. Draco, sensing that she was upset, grabbed her by the arms, pulling her against his chest.

"I'm sorry if I upset you Hermione. I don't know what came over me. You really look nice; I shouldn't have criticized what you're wearing. What the hell do I know, I'm just a git," Draco said softly and kissed her hair.

Hermione turned and looked at Draco. For a brief moment, he wasn't sure if she was going to hex him or tell him off. He was very relieved when she smiled and put her arms around his neck. She kissed him and said, "Apology accepted and you are a git!"

"I'll take that. You have a good day and I'll see you tonight," Draco replied softly as he caressed her cheek.

Hermione nodded as they departed his house and left to start another day at their new jobs.

This became their routine for the next few weeks. Draco still didn't approve of the majority of Hermione's wardrobe, but he kept his mouth shut. He knew he had been out of line.

After those few weeks, Draco had to take a business trip to Japan to seal a deal with a group of Japanese wizards. He was going to be gone for a week, maybe two if the trip didn't go as planned. He was reluctant to be away from Hermione, but if this deal went through it would prove to be very lucrative for Malfoy Industries. He wanted her to stay at his home while he was away, but she told him that she would be more comfortable staying with Ginny.

It was Friday afternoon and Draco had been gone since Monday. Hermione sighed as she separated copies of demos of up and coming performers. She missed him so much and couldn't wait for him to get back. Draco had sent her an owl letting her know that he was trying to wrap everything up but it looked like he might be there for another week.

As Hermione was preparing to leave for the day, T.J. walked in.

"Hey, I just got word that there's this great band playing at Gene's in Diagon Alley. I think this would be a great opportunity for you to get a feel of what I do. Meet me there at 8:00 p.m.," T.J. said.

"I'll be there," Hermione answered and felt a surge of excitement. This was going to work out well because she was wondering how she was going to spend her Friday night. Draco was still in Japan and Ginny was at a quidditch tournament in Scotland, so she had anticipated a night of watching the telly and maybe reading a book. Finally getting to see T.J. in action was a welcome change of plans.

Upon arriving home, Hermione changed out of her work clothes and went to the kitchen in her underwear. She liked that she was able to prance around in her undies and danced around as she fixed a sandwich. Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator, she headed into the living room. Settling on the sofa, she turned on the telly and channel surfed as she ate her sandwich. Finishing her sandwich, she left the living room and went into the bathroom. Stepping out of her underwear, she stepped into the shower. When she was done, she let her hair dry naturally and used a new anti-frizz potion Ginny had given her. Hermione had been debating if she should put her hair up or not, but after seeing the effects of the potion, she left it down. She loved the way her hair fell in soft waves down her back, not a split end in sight!

It was a warm evening so she decided to wear a pink and white striped halter dress with pink sandals. She took care with her makeup and outfit because T.J. was always dressed and made-up to perfection. When she was finished, she took a final look in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, she let it out and headed to Gene's.

This turned out to be one of the best nights of Hermione's life. The band, The Protagonists, were spectacular. When their set was done, T.J. brought Hermione with her to the small backstage area. Hermione was amazed as she watched the band members' jaws drop when they saw T.J. It was at that moment that she realized she had made the right decision and hoped that one day she could have the same presence and respect that T.J. had in the music industry.

The Protagonists couldn't believe it when T.J. told them that Mesmerize was interested. T.J. introduced Hermione to the band and then went to speak to the band's manager. Hermione began a conversation with the band's lead singer, a lovely young woman named Gemma. The other band members consisted of three young men, Chris, Micah, and Ethan. They soon joined in with Hermione and Gemma. T.J. and the manager came out of the office, shaking hands. The band looked at Hermione and then at their manager who smiled, giving them a thumbs up. They started to shriek and hug each other; they were on their way to making it! Hermione stood back with T.J. and watched. She figured that the evening was over, so she thanked T.J. and told her she was going home.

"Oh no, don't go home yet. Why don't you come have breakfast with me and Mesmerize's newest act?" T.J. asked, grinning.

"Yeah Hermione, it'll be fun," Gemma chimed in, while the other band members nodded in agreement.

"Well okay, since you're twisting my arm," Hermione joked as they left Gene's and headed to an all-night muggle diner.

Hermione was shocked when she looked at the clock in the diner and it was 3:00 a.m. It had been ages since she had stayed out this late, but this evening had been worth it. As far as she was concerned, she had made new friends and was able to witness T.J. make their dreams come true. She and Gemma had hit it off and exchanged contact information. Gemma was so easygoing and had a zest for life that Hermione admired.

When they were done, they said their goodbyes. T.J. reminded the band to be at Mesmerize's office Monday morning. They assured her that there was no way in hell they would forget. Diagon Alley wasn't too far away, so Hermione and T.J. walked there so they could use the floo network to get home.

"So what did you think?" T.J. asked.

"I thought tonight was amazing. I couldn't get over how happy they were. I hope I can have the opportunity to do something like that," Hermione replied, her head still reeling from the night's events.

"You will girl. Why do you think I chose you for this job?" T.J. said and winked as she walked into the floo, calling out her address.

Hermione called out her address and within seconds was in the living room of the cottage. She was still smiling as she headed to her bedroom. Switching on the light, she walked into her bedroom. Her smile faded from her face to a look of shock. There was Draco sitting at the edge of her bed, looking totally pissed.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

**I just had to get this out! Ooh Draco is not happy… It's my last week of regular classes and finals the week after, so bear with me. **

**Once again, thank you so much for the reviews and the alerts, truly makes my day!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter 13**

**Disclaimer: ****Still the same, I do not own anything related to Harry Potter!**

Hermione was so startled to see Draco there, she could only stammer out "Draco, what're you doing here? I thought you were going to be in Japan for another week."

"We were able to reach an agreement. Before the ink could dry on paperwork, I was heading home. I wanted to surprise you, but looks like I'm the one getting surprised. Just where have you been, coming in after 3 a.m.? What is it Hermione? When the cat's away, the mouse will play?" Draco asked with a tight look on his face as he tried to control his anger.

"I was out with T.J. so she could sign up a new band. I had no idea you were back. Had I known I would've come home," Hermione replied. She didn't like the look on Draco's face, didn't like it one bit. She decided to sit beside him on the bed. Draco stared straight ahead; his mouth set in a firm line for a few moments and then turned to face her.

"Do you have to dress so provocatively?" he said as his eyes traveled over her body, his body to be more exact. "Hermione, I had so many thoughts running through my head when I arrived here and you were nowhere to be found."

"Draco, why didn't you send an owl? As for the way I'm dressed, I've told you before that this is the current fashion. Do you think I'm trying to attract other wizards? I think by now you should know that I love you and I can be trusted," Hermione said sharply. She watched as he ran his hands through his hair; he was truly upset. This softened Hermione and she regretted speaking so sharply.

"Hermione, I couldn't think straight. I had no idea where you could've been," Draco replied softly. "I know this will sound crazy, but when I saw you weren't there, I couldn't help feeling like I did when I was a child. My parents were always leaving me alone at the Manor; I only had the house elves for company."

It then occurred to Hermione what was happening. Draco had abandonment issues! She stood up from the bed and faced Draco. Her heart melted when he looked up at her with sad eyes, all traces of anger gone. She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked at him. "Draco, I love you and I would never hurt you. I'll never leave you; I'm here for you."

Draco's arms snaked around Hermione's waist and he pulled her close to him. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head. She moved her hands to gently rub his back.

Draco closed his eyes and nuzzled his head against her midriff. He hated himself for the way he had spoken to Hermione. He had so many thoughts running through his head when he couldn't find her. Visions of her in some other wizard's arms or bed ran in his mind, he had such a vivid imagination and jealous streak when it came to Hermione. Deep down he knew she loved him, but he let his insecure thoughts get the best of him. He had never felt something so strongly for anyone in his life and it scared the living daylights out of him. He didn't even want to think what would happen should she ever walk out of his life.

They stayed in this position for quite some time, until Draco looked up at Hermione. She looked at him and kissed him. Draco kissed her back softly and then his kisses became more fervent. Nothing else in the world mattered at the moment; Hermione was his.

Hermione kissed him back as she felt him untie her halter dress. When it came undone, she let it fall to the ground. Draco was still in dress clothes, so she removed his jacket and undid his tie. This was going too slow for Draco, so he ripped off his shirt, the buttons popping off in the process. Never breaking their kiss, Hermione reached for his belt buckle and unfastened it. She unzipped his pants and Draco stood up, pulling her with him. He kicked his pants away, along with his shoes. He guided them to the bed, breaking their kiss for a few moments, as they adjusted their positions. It wasn't long before every piece of clothing was shed and Draco had Hermione beneath him.

Hermione looked up at Draco, reaching up to caress his cheek. Draco closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, kissing her hand. Everything was better now.

"I love you Draco," Hermione said.

"I love you too Hermione, you can't imagine how much. Merlin I missed you," Draco whispered in ear as he pulled her closer to him, entering her with one fluid motion, as Hermione gasped. Something changed between them in those early morning hours. Hermione knew that Draco loved her, but now had a full realization of how intense Draco's love for her was. She had to admit that he scared her earlier, but she now understood why he reacted that way. He was afraid she'd abandon him too. She let go of these thoughts as Draco's thrusts became more urgent. She started to move with him, closing her eyes, and letting him have her completely.

The following morning, Hermione was up before Draco. She watched him as he slept and noticed how he looked content. She wanted to brush the hair out of his eyes, but resisted the urge. Hermione was sure he was probably worn out from his trip in Japan, so she wanted him to rest. She gathered a few items of clothing and went over to use Ginny's bathroom. She didn't want the sound of the shower running to wake Draco.

When she was done, she went to the kitchen to prepare a late breakfast. Hermione decided to prepare pancakes. As she stirred the batter for the pancakes, she thought about how much she enjoyed performing tasks such as this one the "muggle" way. When the skillet was heated, she poured the batter in neat circles. Turning over the pancakes and softly singing a song from the night before, she didn't hear Draco walk in. He had Accio'd clothing from his home and taken a quick shower in Hermione's bathroom.

He watched her with a smile on his face. Draco loved moments like this; when Hermione was completely unaware that anyone was observing her. He leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen with his arms folded, waiting for her to notice him. Draco took in the loose-fitting blue sundress she was wearing and her hair tied back in a messy ponytail. She looked so young, carefree, and beautiful; it made his heart swell with love for her. When she finally noticed him, he laughed. She blushed and stopped singing.

"I bet you want to tell me never quit my 'day job.' I know my singing is off-key and awful, but I just love music," Hermione said.

Draco gave her a quizzical look. "Quit your day job?"

It was Hermione's turn to chuckle. "It's nothing, just a silly muggle saying. Did you sleep well? I hope I wasn't making too much noise."

"Not at all, the smell of pancakes brought me out of my slumber. I slept very well, thank you. Look love, I'm sorry about how I reacted earlier," Draco said as he walked towards her.

"I know you didn't mean it Draco," Hermione replied and tiptoed to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Have a seat and I'll fix a plate for you."

Draco did as he was told and sat at the kitchen table. He soon had a plate piled with pancakes with syrup. Hermione sat with him and they enjoyed breakfast together. She told him about T.J. signing on a new band and Draco told her about the meeting in Japan. As he watched her talking, Draco couldn't help wondering if this was how it would be if they were married. He could truly visualize every morning being like this.

Hermione watched Draco as he described the events in Japan and she could see that he was a force to be reckoned with. She could only imagine what Draco's stature was going to be in the wizarding business world in the next few years. He was definitely going to restore Malfoy Industries back to its former glory. Hermione could see the determination in his eyes. It still astounded her at times that she was actually sitting next to Draco Malfoy, the onetime bane of her existence and now she couldn't imagine life without him.

They spent the morning together, Draco reading The Daily Prophet while Hermione tidied up the cottage. When she was done, she pushed her feet into a pair of flip-flops and grabbed her handbag. Draco looked up from the paper.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yes, I'm headed over to the supermarket. I noticed Gin and I are running low on our food supply. I shouldn't be long," Hermione replied.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Draco asked.

Hermione shrugged. "Come if you like, but you'll probably be bored."

"How could I be bored when I'm with you love," Draco said, smiling as he stood up and walked over to her.

One hour later, Hermione couldn't believe the amount of food they had when they returned to the cottage. Draco was fascinated by the muggle supermarket and wanted to try everything from boxed macaroni and cheese, to brownies. Hermione was amused by this, shaking her head as he watched her prepare the brownie mix. After she spread the mix in a pan and placed it in the oven, she ran her finger in the batter left in the mixing bowl.

"Now for the best part-licking the bowl," Hermione grinned as she put her finger in her mouth, closing her eyes, a blissful look on her face.

Draco stared at her as if he was in a daze. He was so turned on by her actions. Hermione watched as he stood up and ran his index finger in the bowl. She stood still, mesmerized by him as he took his finger and rubbed the brownie batter on her lips. Her breath caught as he bent his head and flicked his tongue over her lips, licking the batter off.

"You're right, that is the best part," Draco said softly as he looked at her, his eyes darkening with desire. He then proceeded to take Hermione on the kitchen floor and give her the shagging of her life. She was never going to look at preparing a box of brownies the same way ever again.

They spent the rest of the weekend at Hermione's cottage, reveling in being with each other. This had definitely been one of the best weekends of their life. Draco and Hermione hoped that there would be many more like it. Draco returned to his home late that Sunday afternoon. He wanted Hermione to come with him but she was expecting Ginny to return from the tournament and she wanted to be there for her friend. Draco was disappointed, but he understood.

Not long after Draco left, Ginny came through the floo. The two friends greeted each other enthusiastically. Hermione asked how the tournament had gone and couldn't help noticing how happy Ginny looked.

"Wow, your team must have done really well. You can't stop smiling," Hermione said as she looked at her friend.

"My team did do well, but something else happened this weekend," Ginny replied and couldn't stop grinning.

Hermione laughed and asked, "Well, what else happened? Are you going to keep me in suspense?'

At that moment, Ginny held out her left hand. Hermione gasped and placed one hand over her mouth, then removed it and grabbed Ginny's hand. "Oh my goodness, Harry proposed! Gin, your ring is gorgeous! I'm so happy for you! Wow, tell me all about it!" Hermione gushed.

Ginny proceeded to tell her how Harry proposed to her the night before as they were having a romantic dinner. They decided to set a date for the following summer and Ginny asked Hermione to be her Maid of Honor.

"You should have seen Harry, Hermione. He was so nervous. I was speechless when he pulled out the ring and asked me to marry him," Ginny said.

"Gin, I'm so excited. Two of my very best friends are getting married. This is going to be great. I bet your family is thrilled," Hermione replied.

"They all knew he was going to propose! Harry had asked my parents and Ron for my hand in marriage, can you believe he actually asked my git brother? I'm shocked Ron was able to keep a secret," Ginny chuckled.

The two young women spent the rest of the evening discussing wedding plans over milk and brownies. As they ate the brownies, Hermione had to restrain herself from grinning as she thought about what those brownies had led to earlier.

T.J. was pumped when Hermione arrived at work Monday morning. Hermione sat in on the meeting with T.J. and The Protagonists. She was excited to be part of seeing how a recording contract evolved. T.J. handled everything effortlessly and asked Hermione for input. She truly wanted Hermione to be involved because she could see that the young woman had the drive and brainpower to do this. When the lunch hour arrived, Hermione was astounded at how quickly the morning had gone by. This was such a head rush; she loved every minute of it.

She hadn't made any plans for lunch, so Hermione decided to surprise Draco. She took the floo and gave the address to Malfoy Industries. When she arrived at her destination, she took in the sleek interior design of the front office. Everything was very sleek; chrome accents and the furniture was black leather. She walked over to the front desk.

"Hello, I'm here to see Draco Malfoy if he's available," Hermione said with a smile.

The young receptionist smiled. "Yes ma'am. Is Mr. Malfoy expecting you? I see that he doesn't have any appointments scheduled."

"No, I don't have an appointment. Just tell him Hermione Granger is here," Hermione replied. This was going to be fun; Draco was totally not expecting her.

As the receptionist was about to contact Draco, a door behind the front desk opened and another young woman stepped out. She had a stack of files in her arms and let them fall in an untidy pile in front of the receptionist.

"Starla, I need these by the end of the day. Please see that you take of this," she said in a condescending tone.

Starla stopped what she was doing and arranged the files neatly as they were about to fall onto the floor. "Yes Nicolette. I'll make sure that you have them this afternoon."

Hermione observed this exchanged and her first thought was that Nicolette was a bitch. She hated women who talked down to others. As she processed this, Nicolette turned her cold gaze upon Hermione, smirking as she scrutinized her.

"If you're here for a position there are no immediate openings, but you can feel free to fill out an application or leave your resume," Nicolette said in the same condescending tone she used with Starla.

"No I'm not here for a job. I'm here to see Draco Malfoy," Hermione replied and smiled serenely. She couldn't wait for Nicolette's reaction. She had to admit Nicolette was beautiful, with long, wavy black hair accented with blonde highlights, green eyes, and a slim figure. But with all that beauty, her eyes held absolutely no warmth; they actually seemed to possess a reptilian quality. Hermione felt sorry for Starla having to deal with a monster like Nicolette. Starla was short and a little plump, with black curly hair styled in a chin-length bob. In contrast to Nicolette, Starla had warm brown eyes and seemed to be much more pleasant.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible. Mr. Malfoy is a very busy man. What exactly is your business with him? He doesn't have time for trivialities. You'll need to make an appointment," Nicolette said snootily.

Before Hermione could reply, the door behind the front desk opened again and Draco stepped out. His face lit up when he saw Hermione.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked happily.

"I just stopped by to see if you wanted to grab lunch, but I understand if you're busy," Hermione replied.

"I'm never too busy for you love. It was so crazy today I had decided to have lunch in my office. You're welcome to join me," Draco said and looked at Hermione. This was definitely a delightful surprise for him.

Hermione shrugged. "Sure, that sounds great." It took all she had not to burst out laughing when she saw the look of shock on Nicolette's face as Draco went around the front desk and walked over to Hermione. Draco kissed her on the cheek and grabbed her hand. He gave a folder to Starla and asked that she hold all of his calls as he led Hermione through the door to the other offices.

Starla watched as Nicolette looked like a gaping fish gasping for air as she watched Draco walk away Hermione. It was common office gossip that Nicolette had her eye on Draco. Starla loved that he seemed oblivious to Nicolette and only spoke to her regarding work matters. She now knew why Draco Malfoy hadn't succumbed to Nicolette's charms; it was obvious to see he was in love with Hermione Granger. Nicolette walked back to her office without a word to Starla, but the young woman didn't care. This was surely one of the best days she'd ever had in the 3 months she had worked for Malfoy Industries. It was good to see that evil bitch put in her place. She couldn't wait to tell the other gals in the office that the Skunk had finally gotten what was coming to her. Nicolette would probably try to have the lot of them fired if she knew that her nickname was "The Skunk" because of her hair.

Nicolette couldn't believe it! She had been trying to get Draco's attention for the last few weeks and couldn't understand why he never responded to her charms. She had wondered if he was gay, but she now knew this wasn't the case. It truly astounded her to see one of the hottest pureblooded wizards with a total mudblood like Hermione Granger. _What is this world coming to,_ she thought as she went to her office. What did Draco see in someone like that? Nicolette Ames was from a pureblood family. Her father, Lloyd Ames, was a Ministry Ambassador to the Ministry of Magic in France. It was there that Lloyd met Nicolette's mother, Adalie de Borelon. They had a whirlwind romance and were married after dating for only six months. It wasn't long before Nicolette joined their family. The Ames divided their time between London and France. When Nicolette was old enough to attend a wizarding academy, she had a choice between Hogwarts and Beauxbatons. She chose Beauxbatons because that was her mother's alma mater. Sometimes she regretted not attending Hogwarts for if she had, she knew Draco Malfoy would've been hers. Nicolette was an only child and very spoiled, she was used to getting what she wanted-and she wanted Draco Malfoy.

Draco brought Hermione to his office and closed the door behind him. Hermione was about to tell him how much she liked his office when he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. She was startled at first, but then began to respond. _Only Draco can bring me to my knees with a kiss,_ Hermione thought as she kissed him back. When they came up for air, she smiled at him.

"Wow, what was that about?" Hermione asked as she looked up at him, her arms wrapped loosely around his waist.

"I missed you and this is such a nice surprise. I didn't expect to see you until tonight," Draco replied as he kissed her forehead.

"Draco, that's so sweet. I'm so glad you didn't mind me dropping by unannounced. I was told you were very busy and that I should make an appointment," Hermione teased.

"Well I shall inform my staff that whenever you show up here, I want you to come straight to my office, no appointments necessary," Draco murmured as he kissed her neck.

"I thought we were supposed to have lunch Mr. Malfoy," Hermione said softly and giggled.

"Mm you are lunch Ms. Granger," Draco replied as he captured her lips with his. He led Hermione to the high-backed leather chair behind his desk. He sat down and pulled Hermione onto his lap, never breaking their kiss. Glad that she was wearing a dress, his hands reached underneath it and he reached into her panties. Hermione moaned softly as he inserted two fingers into her, and rubbed her clit with his thumb.

"You're always so wet for me love. I want you so badly. Let's get those panties off," Draco said huskily. He removed his hand and Hermione stood up to remove her panties. While she did that, Draco lifted his hips and undid his trousers and underwear, pushing them down to his ankles. He smirked at Hermione and pointed to his very erect cock.

"Hop on love."

Hermione smirked back and straddled him. She let herself gradually take in his huge cock and looked into his eyes as she did. Draco let out a hiss as he felt her heat envelop him. His eyes never left hers as she glided slowly over him. He had a tight grip on her hips and Hermione knew she was probably going to have bruises, but she didn't care, this felt so fucking good. She was so turned on by the fact that they were doing it in Draco's office.

Draco soon took control as he stood, holding onto Hermione, kissing her as he backed her against the wall, and his thrusts became more urgent and intense. She wrapped her legs round his waist and her arms around his neck. Hermione felt her orgasm building as he hit her clit. It didn't take long for her to come and she bit into his shoulder to keep from crying out. Her dress was bunched up around her hips and Draco still had a grip on her hips, pumping furiously. He groaned as he climaxed and kissed Hermione passionately as he released his seed into her. As they caught their breath, they looked at each other and grinned. She cast a cleaning charm on them.

"I have to say that's the best lunch I've had in quite some time," Draco said as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"I can't believe we just did that! I hope no one heard," Hermione replied.

"Nah, I had cast a silencing charm when we walked in," Draco chuckled.

Hermione playfully swatted at him and said, "You git, you were hoping this would happen!"

"I can't resist you love especially in that short dress you're wearing. I think I've changed my mind about your wardrobe. These short lengths come in handy," Draco drawled as he ran his fingers along the hem of the dress.

"Just for that I think I'm going to start wearing trousers," Hermione teased as she nibbled his earlobe.

"You little minx. Mm, that feels good, are you ready for another go?" Draco asked hopefully.

"No! I'll have to get back to the office soon," Hermione giggled as she pushed away from him. She grabbed her panties off of the floor and pulled them on, smoothing her dress over her hips. Draco pulled his trousers back on and smiled at her as he buckled his belt.

They shared a quick lunch of sandwiches and fruit from a tray that had been brought to Draco's office. When the lunch hour was almost over, Hermione regretted that she had to leave so soon.

"I have to get back," she said as Draco pulled her onto his lap.

"I know, I'll see you tonight?" Draco asked as he kissed her neck.

Hermione smiled and gently pushed him away as she stood up. "Yes you will. I better get going."

Draco chuckled and stood next to her. "Okay I'll let you go this time. Come, I'll walk with you to the floo."

They received many curious stares as they made their way to the floo and eyebrows were raised when Draco kissed Hermione. It was obvious that they were a couple. Nicolette aka Skunk watched this with narrowed eyes.

The next few weeks passed by quickly. Draco and Hermione couldn't have been happier. T.J. had determined that Hermione was ready to take the reins in the London office and she returned to the United States. They had settled into a routine and Draco was slowly adjusting to the crazy hours Hermione kept especially when she had to go to clubs to observe a musical act Mesmerize may or may not have an interest in. Sometimes he accompanied her, but he didn't enjoy the loud clubs and the general atmosphere. Draco still didn't care for it, but he knew he had to trust Hermione. He loved her so much and didn't want to lose her because of something as petty as jealousy.

Ginny and Harry had an engagement party at Grimmauld Place. The engagement was officially announced in The Daily Prophet and the couple was floored by the enthusiastic response from the wizarding community. Everyone was thrilled about their upcoming nuptials. It was going to be the wedding of the year; Harry Potter marrying Ginerva Weasley. As Hermione looked around the room where all of their friends and family were gathered, she thought about how happy she was to be a part of this. It was even better with Draco at her side.

Draco looked around the room and at Hermione beside him. It was a bit surreal to be there. He would've never imagined being a part of any aspect of Harry Potter's life and yet here he was. It felt good to be accepted by Hermione's inner circle and to be included in an event as special as this. Observing all of this increased his desire to ask Hermione for her hand in marriage, but he still wanted to give her some time.

Hermione watched as Draco walked over to Harry, Ron, his brothers, and Arthur Weasley. The conversation had drifted to quidditch and Draco wanted to give his input. She smiled and shook her head, wandering over to where Molly Weasley was seated.

"Hello dear. I see we've lost our men to quidditch," Molly chuckled.

"I think so. How are you?" Hermione asked as she took a seat beside Molly.

"I'm doing well. You look wonderful and I'm quite impressed with Draco. I never thought I'd say this, but you make a lovely couple," Molly said.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley. That means a lot to me. Have you and Ginny started making plans? She told me she found a dress," Hermione asked.

"Oh yes, we've been looking at Bewitched Bridal magazines, oohing and aahing at everything. The men make the round of us. Her sisters-in-law are very enthusiastic about it though. Sometimes I can't believe my little Ginny will be married. It seems like only yesterday she was a little girl," Molly replied and wiped away a few tears.

"I know Ginny will always be your little girl," Hermione said and hugged Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley took out a handkerchief from her bag and wiped her eyes. "I'm just a sniveling old fool. How about you Hermione? Are there wedding bells on the horizon for you?"

Hermione shook her head. "Maybe in a few years, but I'm not ready for that kind of commitment now. I'd like to establish my career first and then think about marriage."

Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Well don't be surprised if a marriage proposal comes soon. I think Draco is quite taken with you dear."

Hermione only smiled and shook her head. "I think it will be some time before he does that."

"If you say so," Mrs. Weasley replied and smiled knowingly. She saw the way Draco couldn't keep his eyes off of Hermione, even when he was deep into a discussion with the men, his eyes would drift over to where she was. As far as she was concerned, it was only a matter of time before Draco would propose to Hermione.

Hermione mulled over her conversation with Mrs. Weasley. What would she do if Draco proposed? She loved him, but was she ready for marriage? Her thoughts were interrupted when Draco sidled up beside her.

"Having a nice time?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm enjoying this. Is your quidditch discussion over?" Hermione asked and chuckled.

"It is. Are you ready to go?" Draco asked.

"Sure, it's late," Hermione replied. They thanked everyone for inviting them and congratulated Ginny and Harry again. She hugged Ginny before leaving and Ginny whispered in her ear.

"Mum seems to think you're next," Ginny teased.

"Tell your mum she's been reading too many Bewitched Bridal magazines," Hermione retorted and rolled her eyes.

Draco watched this exchange and wondered what it was about. He forgot about it when Hermione took his arm and smiled up at him. They disapparated to his home and spent the rest of the weekend together. Draco enjoyed the routine they had settled into, but he wanted more. If it were up to him, he would rush out, buy a ring, and propose to Hermione right then and there, but something was holding him back. He didn't want to push her into a commitment, but after seeing how happy Ginny and Harry were, it made him want one more than ever. Hermione would not regret it.

Hermione couldn't believe how quickly the summer had gone by. It was now late September and fall weather was upon them. It was a late afternoon and she was in her office at Mesmerize, peering out of the window. She watched as the red and gold leaves fell from the trees as a brisk wind blew. Hugging herself she thought about the news she had received earlier that day.

T.J. had returned to the London office that morning and called Hermione into her office.

"Girl, sit down! I have some wonderful news," T.J. told Hermione as she walked into the office.

Hermione smiled and took a seat across from T.J. She had no idea what this could be about.

"Pack your bags because you are coming back to the States with me! You would not believe how the wizarding music scene has exploded over there! I've started a team there, but I think it would be much more efficient if you were there working with me. Hermione, this is the opportunity of a lifetime!" T.J. exclaimed.

"Merlin T.J., this is terrific. How long will I be in the States?" Hermione asked.  
As she processed this, her first thought was how Draco was going to react.

"I'm thinking a month, two months tops. I'll put it like this: you'll be home for Christmas. The top dogs here see a lot of potential in you honey and they want to see how well you do in the States. This will be where you can really prove yourself," T.J. replied. It then dawned on her that Hermione seemed less than enthusiastic about this. "Hermione, you don't seem to be excited about this. I thought this was what you wanted."

"It is T.J., but I'm seeing someone and I don't know how he's going to react to my going away for such an extended period," Hermione said hesitantly and wondered if she was committing career suicide.

"Ah shit, you've been bitten by the love bug. How about this? Today is Monday and I'll be hanging out here until Friday evening. Why don't you think about it and give me your decision on Friday. Maybe you can discuss this with your boyfriend. You know Hermione it's none of my business, but if he truly cares about you he wouldn't want you to miss out on an opportunity like this," T.J. said. She really wanted Hermione on her team and was disappointed that Hermione wasn't as enthusiastic as she was when she first started the job.

"It's fine T.J., thanks for the advice and for allowing me to think about this. I'll give you my decision first thing Friday morning," Hermione said.

"That's all I ask," T.J. replied and smiled.

Draco had made a decision; he had decided to propose to Hermione. He gave this a lot of thought. He figured that they could have a long engagement, they didn't have to get married right away, but at least Hermione would be wearing his ring and this would let the world know that she was taken. He had already made plans to meet the Grangers for lunch the following week so he could formally ask for their daughter's hand in marriage. Draco had also found the perfect ring, a one-carat marquise diamond accented with rubies. When he saw it in the display window of the jewelry store in Diagon Alley, he knew it was perfect for Hermione.

When Hermione returned home to the cottage she shared with Ginny that Monday evening, she sat down heavily in a chair in the living room. She had no idea how she was going to approach Draco about this. A part of her was thrilled at the prospect of going to the States and exploring the music scene there, but she dreaded leaving Draco. Sighing deeply, she stood up and went to her bedroom to undress. She took a quick shower and pulled on a pair of track pants with a long-sleeved T-shirt. Performing a fast-drying spell on her hair, she walked over to the floo and called out the address to Draco's home.

Arriving at Draco's home, she went to the kitchen and prepared a spaghetti dinner. Draco walked into the kitchen about twenty minutes later, greeting her enthusiastically and kissing her. He went upstairs to change and when he was done, Hermione had dinner ready. They sat down for dinner and discussed their day.

"Things are really going well in East Asia. Malfoy Industries has been so well-received, we're working on a deal to open another division in South Korea," Draco said.

"That's great Draco. Malfoy Industries is really thriving," Hermione replied and smiled.

"How was your day love?" Draco asked as he twirled spaghetti on his fork.

"It was fine. T.J. is here this week," Hermione said.

"Really? How is everything going in the States?" Draco asked.

"She said the wizard music scene is happening. As a matter of fact, she wants me to go back with her," Hermione said quickly and waited for Draco's reaction.

"That sounds great love. Wait, she wants you to go to the States?" Draco asked and put his fork down.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah, she thinks this would be a great opportunity for me."

"I thought you working in the London office would be a great opportunity. Why does she want you to go to the States?" Draco asked.

"There is so much to do in the States and T.J. thinks I'm the right person for the job. I'm flattered that she wants me on her team. Draco, this woman is a legend in the music industry," Hermione answered.

"I understand all that, but I assumed that you were going to be staying in London. How long would you be gone?" Draco asked.

"One month, T.J. said two months tops. She said I'll definitely be back for Christmas," Hermione replied and braced herself for his reaction.

Draco pushed away from the table and exclaimed, "Damn it Hermione! I don't like this, not one bit. What did you tell her?"

Hermione's eyes widened at his tone. "She told me to think about it and to give her a decision on Friday morning."

"Well you don't have to wait until Friday morning. You can let her know tomorrow that you are not going!" Draco bellowed.

"Excuse me? Where is this coming from Draco? Since when do you make my decisions for me? This is my career not yours!" Hermione yelled.

"It is my decision when it affects us! What about us Hermione? I tell you what. If you leave for two months, don't expect me to be waiting here for you," Draco growled.

"You don't mean that Draco. I can't believe you'd say something like that to me. I thought we could discuss this in a reasonable manner, but I see I'm wrong," Hermione said, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"It's me or your job Hermione," Draco said flatly.

"Wow, you're really asking that of me. Maybe we need to take a few days to think about this Draco. I think you're angry and when you've cooled off, we'll discuss this again. I'm going home," Hermione said.

"Whatever, go home and whine to Ginny. I don't care," Draco answered in the same flat voice.

Hermione only shook her head and walked out of the kitchen. She couldn't get over how childish Draco was being about this and how he turned on her! His behavior reminded her of the old Draco. She wiped away angry tears as she walked over to the floo and called out the cottage's address.

Seconds after Hermione was gone, it hit Draco as to what had just occurred. He couldn't believe the way he had spoken to Hermione, but he was so hurt that she was even considering being away from him for such a long period of time. He hated himself for the way he'd spoken to her, but it was his defense mechanism.

As soon as Hermione returned home, she went straight to her bedroom and fell into her bed. She felt so alone because Ginny was going to be gone with her team for most of the week. So many thoughts were running through her mind and it was some time before she finally fell asleep. Hermione still couldn't get over the way Draco acted.

When she arrived at work Tuesday morning, the receptionist beamed at her and told her she had a delivery in her office. When she walked in, there was a huge bouquet of flowers on her desk. She pulled the note attached to it and read it.

_I'm really sorry about last night. I was a git. Please come over tonight and I promise we'll discuss this in a reasonable manner._

_Love, Draco_

Hermione sighed and put the flowers aside. Biting her lip, she decided she wasn't going to make this easy for him. Draco had really pissed her off so she came to a decision to let him stew for a few days before she contacted him.

Wednesday and Thursday went by and every morning was the same, but the bouquets were getting bigger by the day. The last note said:

_I know you're pissed, but damn it Hermione I'm making an effort. I love you so much. _

_Love, Draco_

Hermione smiled as she read this and decided she had made him suffer long enough. It was at that moment she made up her mind as to what she was going to do about T.J.'s offer. She went over to T.J.'s office and knocked on the door.

"Come on in," T.J. called from behind the door.

"Hey T.J., do you have a few minutes?" Hermione asked.

"Sure, have a seat," T.J. replied.

Hermione sat down and took a deep breath. "It's a day early, but I've made my decision. T.J., I'm going to have to turn down your offer. I've done a lot of soul-searching the past few days and I truly believe it's the right thing to do."

"I understand and respect your decision, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. Are you sure? Well for what it's worth, if you should ever change your mind, you're always welcome to join me," T.J. said and smiled sadly.

They spoke for a few more minutes and Hermione returned to her office. Suddenly she thought about something. She went over to Byron's office and asked to have the rest of the afternoon off. Byron told her it was no problem, so she left the office. She stopped at the cottage and grabbed a few things, and then flooed over to Draco's home. Hermione couldn't wait to tell him about her decision and wanted to give him an evening he'd never forget.

Draco was livid; he was beyond pissed. Hermione had not responded to any of his apologies. He didn't know what to make of this. This was their first argument in a long time and he wanted to make it up to her, but it was as if she didn't want anything to do with him. Surely she still wasn't upset. Draco wasn't sure what to do. He had tried to floo to her cottage, but she had blocked the floo network. This hurt him deeply. He had thought about going to her place of work, but he didn't want to cause a scene.

It was late Thursday afternoon and Lucius was ecstatic because he had found out that the deal had gone through for the new division in South Korea. He was so elated about this, that he let the office leave early and invited the staff for drinks at a pub in Diagon Alley. Before leaving his office, Draco took a look around, wondering if he had missed any owls from Hermione, but there weren't any. Alcohol would definitely take the edge off, he thought as he walked out of his office and joined his father with the rest of the staff.

Hermione prepared dinner and went upstairs to change into the lingerie she had brought. When she was done, she reapplied her lipstick and made sure the bustier and garter belts were in place. Smiling at her reflection and taking a deep breath, she sat on the bed and waited.

Draco had lost track of how many firewhiskeys he'd consumed. All he knew was that he still couldn't get Hermione off of his mind. He slid off of the barstool in an ungracious manner. Lucius gave him a look of disapproval and sidled up next to him.

"I think it's time for you to get home son. You aren't setting a very good example for your employees," Lucius growled in his ear. He wondered if there was something going on in Draco's personal life because his son had been very irritable this week.

"Whatever you say Father. See you in the morning," Draco slurred.

Nicolette watched this exchange and stood up when she saw Draco walking out. She went up to Lucius.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'll make sure Draco makes it home in one piece," Nicolette said.

"Why thank you Nicolette, I appreciate it. Have a good evening," Lucius replied.

"You're welcome Mr. Malfoy. I'll see you tomorrow," Nicolette replied and left to catch up with Draco.

When she caught up to him, she grabbed him by the elbow and led him to a floo network. She knew his home address because she had looked up his personal information at work. Draco looked at her and gave her a confused look.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, slurring.

"I'm going to get you home," Nicolette said smugly. _You have no idea what I have planned for you once we get there._

"I don't need a fucking babysitter," Draco slurred and tried to pull his arm away, but Nicolette had a firm grip.

They arrived at his home and walked out into his living room. Nicolette took a look around the home and approved of it. She could get used to this. She smirked as Draco sat down heavily in on the couch and fell asleep. She walked over to him and began to unbuckle his trousers. She knew how to wake him up.

Hermione heard noise downstairs and a surge of excitement and anticipation formed in her stomach. She waited for a few minutes for Draco to come up, but when she didn't see him, she decided to go downstairs and surprise him. As she descended the stairs, she could hear someone speaking and was puzzled when it sounded like a female voice.

"Just sit back and relax baby, Nicolette will make you feel so good," Nicolette purred as she ran her hands on Draco's exposed thighs. She stared greedily at his penis and wrapped her lips around it. Draco stirred and opened his eyes, feeling groggy. He looked down and was astounded to see Nicolette trying to give him a blowjob. This sobered him up and as he was trying to push her away, Hermione walked in.

Draco looked at her with a shocked look on her face. He watched as Hermione brought a hand to her mouth and covered it. She removed it and began to speak.

"I can't believe you're doing this Draco. To think I had come here to tell you that I had decided to stay in London. I'm so fucking stupid. How long have you been fucking that bitch? You know what? I don't want to know. I have a wonderful dinner prepared. I hope you and your whore enjoy it. We're done Draco, I never want to see you again!" Hermione exclaimed and ran up to the stairs. She felt so stupid and so exposed in the lingerie she was wearing. When she got into the bedroom, she pulled her clothes on over the underwear and fled. As she was coming down the stairs, Draco was coming up. He grabbed her arm as she tried to get past him.

"Hermione wait! It isn't what you think. I was upset because I hadn't heard from you. The office went out for drinks after work and I drank a little too much. Please don't leave, let's discuss this," Draco pleaded.

"Draco, I think it's quite obvious as to what was going on. Let go of me," Hermione growled and pulled her arm away.

He tried to go after her, but she was too quick and disapparated. Draco was shocked as to what had just happened. Was it really over? He walked into the living room and saw Nicolette was still there. Draco gave her a dirty look.

"I don't even know your fucking name or how you even got into my home, but if you know what is good for you, you'll get the fuck out of here," Draco growled.

Nicolette stared at him in disbelief. "Well I never! You just missed out on the best night of your life! I'll let you stay here and wallow in self-pity."

Draco watched her leave and then sat down heavily on the sofa. He put his face in his hands and wondered how did everything get so fucked up in so short of a time.

**Llama, Llama loves drama! I'm done with finals, so I'll be able to work on this one and another story I have in the works. Hope you enjoy it.**

**Always, thank you so much for the fabulous reviews and for adding this story to your favorites, means the world to me.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Disclaimer****: Harry Potter is the property of Ms. J.K. Rowling. Just my interpretation of what could have been! As I wrote this chapter, I was listening to Trouble by Coldplay.**

Hermione sobbed as she walked out of the floo of the cottage. She hated the silence that greeted her and wished more than anything that Ginny was there for her. _What the hell just happened? How could Draco be with that vile girl?_ She thought as the tears kept falling. What was she supposed to do now? She had actually passed up an opportunity to work with T.J. in the States for Draco! Hermione felt physically ill and had to fight the urge to throw up when she thought about Draco with Nicolette. She knew one thing, she wasn't staying alone tonight. She scribbled a quick note to Byron and sent it by owl.

_Where's the party tonight?_

_-H_

It was Thursday night and she knew Byron was going to be out at wherever was the most happening place. She figured the distraction of a loud club, be it muggle or wizard, would be enough to make her momentarily forget about what had happened.

Within 10 minutes, she received a reply.

_The party is at Pim's Place! I'm here with the gang. You're welcome to join us. –B_

Hermione wiped away her tears as she read the reply and gave the owl a few treats. She knew Pim's Place was a new club opened by Pim Renossa, a well-respected wizard DJ in London. That would do very nicely for the shitty mood she was in. Loud pulsating music and alcohol would definitely numb the pain in her heart, or at least it would for a few hours anyway. She went to her bedroom and began stripping off her clothes. When she removed the bustier and garters, she threw them on the floor. Glaring at the offensive garments, she grabbed her wand, pointed and said "Incendio!" Maybe it was stupid to burn such expensive lingerie, but at the moment it felt good. With that done, Hermione went to her closet and pulled out a pair of black leather pants with a lace-up fly and a short-sleeved red cropped top that fit her like a second skin. She paired this ensemble with black leather ankle boots.

Checking her reflection in the mirror, she applied her makeup, going heavy with the black eyeliner and dark red lipstick. Smirking, she laughed with no humor as a surly, Goth-looking girl stared back at her. This was certainly a new look for her, but she was in a dark mood and it suited her fine. Before leaving the room, she grabbed a jacket and walked over to the floo. She shouted out the address to Pim's Place.

_Merlin's fucking bollocks, how the hell am I supposed to fix this, _Draco thought as he sat and stared into nothing. It was killing him to know that Hermione had been waiting for him. She was probably there to make it up to him and that fucking whore ruined it. Draco couldn't believe this shit; he didn't even know the bitch's name. All he knew was that she worked at Malfoy Industries. He knew one thing for certain though, she was history. He planned on firing her first thing Friday morning. That was going to be easy to fix. How he was going to get Hermione back wasn't going to be that simple.

Hermione walked out of floo and into Pim's Place. Despite her feelings of bravado at home earlier, she was now wondering if this was such a good idea. She was shocked to see how many people were at Pim's on a Thursday night, but she remembered that the club had just opened and Pim was a popular guy. She waded through the crowd and was feeling somewhat apprehensive because she couldn't find Byron or anyone she knew. Suddenly she felt someone grab her by the arm. She turned with a sharp look on her face, but then smiled when she saw who it was.

"T.J.! What're you doing here? I thought you were leaving tonight?" Hermione shouted over the loud music.

"I was about to leave when Byron convinced me to come check out Pim's new club. What're you doing here?" T.J. shouted back.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you. Is there someplace we can talk?" Hermione replied and hated that she had to shout over the music.

T.J. nodded. "Follow me. We'll go to Pim's VIP lounge. It's not as loud there."

Hermione followed her to a flight of stairs that led to a luxurious room filled with comfortable chairs and couches. There was a security guard blocking the entrance, but he smiled when he saw T.J. and stepped aside to let her and Hermione into the room. They took a seat on one of the couches. There were a few other people there but they only nodded politely at the women and went back to their own conversations. T.J. turned to face Hermione.

"Damn girl, you're looking fierce tonight! I've never seen you dressed like this before. I have to say I was shocked to see you," T.J. said.

"I don't know what I'm doing T.J. I left work early so I could surprise Draco and tell him that I had decided not to go the States. Well, ha ha I was the one who got the surprise," Hermione said dryly.

"Shit Hermione, what happened?" T.J. asked, looking genuinely concerned.

Hermione gave her a condensed version of finding Draco with his dick in some random whore's mouth. T.J. listened without interrupting and shook her head when Hermione was finished.

"You're better than me. I would've cut him and that fucking bitch before I left that fucking house," T.J. said softly and meant every word. To her, a man being unfaithful was one of the worst slights that could ever be done to a woman.

Hermione gave a rueful smile, as she wiped away a tear forming in the corner of her eye. "I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I still can't believe it."

T.J. patted her hand. "I understand. I don't know if this is the right time to bring this up, but my offer still stands if you want it."

"What? You'd still want me to go to the States even though I turned you down?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"You bet your ass. I was about to leave the club when I spotted you. Hermione, this is going to sound crazy, but maybe you're meant to come with me," T.J. replied.

"I don't think it sounds crazy T.J. Why the hell not? There isn't anything here for me. Maybe blowing this taco stand is exactly what I need," Hermione mused, but still had a pit of sadness that had settled in her heart.

"Well if you're up for it, I'm leaving tonight. How soon can you pack?" T.J. asked and smiled.

Hermione took a deep breath. Shit, she was really going to do this. "Give me about 10 minutes. Wait, what will I tell Byron and the others? They'll expect to see me tomorrow."

"I'll take care of that. Pack your gear and meet me at Mesmerize. We'll go from there," T.J. replied and they walked out of the VIP lounge.

Taking the floo network back to her cottage, Hermione rushed to her room and grabbed a carry-on bag, stuffing it with everything she needed for the trip. When that was done, she wrote notes to Ginny and her parents, letting them know that this was a last-minute decision and she'd talk to them soon. She washed off the heavy makeup and pulled her hair back into a high ponytail. Hermione changed into a pair of jeans and a pink sweatshirt, putting on comfortable socks before she pushed her feet into a pair of trainers. Picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder, she was ready to go.

When she arrived at Mesmerize, T.J. was waiting. She led Hermione to the elevators and when they got inside, she pressed the button for the top floor. Hermione gave her a questioning look.

"Where're we going?" she asked, a little nervously.

"To the roof, there's a helicopter waiting to take us to Heathrow," T.J. replied and gave her a reassuring smile. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Hermione took a deep breath and let it out, and then nodded. "I've never been surer of anything in my life T.J."

"Well alright," T.J. said when the elevator doors opened. They walked over to a staircase and ascended to the roof entrance. Sure enough, there was a sleek black EC-135 helicopter waiting. The co-pilot took Hermione's bag and stored it while she and T.J. climbed inside. As they sat down, the pilot powered up the aircraft and she listened as the huge propeller came to life. Within minutes they were airborne and headed to Heathrow. Hermione watched as they flew over London and couldn't help wondering what Draco was doing at that exact moment.

Still feeling the effects of the alcohol he had consumed, Draco fell asleep in his living room. He woke up with a raging headache the next morning. His mouth was so dry; it felt as if it was filled with cotton. He held his pounding head as he went upstairs to his bathroom. Once there, he headed straight for the medicine cabinet and removed a bottle of hangover potion from it. He opened it up and guzzled it down. After that, Draco headed over to the toilet and peed for what surely seemed like two minutes. He then undressed and climbed into the shower, bracing himself with his hands against the wall. His head was down and he let the warm water cascade over him. The events of the night before began to play out in his mind. He slid down to the floor with an anguished cry and beat his fists against the walls of the shower. After a few minutes, he regained his composure and finished showering. As he was drying off, he looked at his reflection in the mirror hanging over the toilet. Draco fought the urge to shatter it as he took in his bloodshot eyes and sad expression. His heart was heavy and he felt like shit, but he still managed to look sharp in a black suit with black dress robes. His main priority was to do everything in his power to get Hermione, but he knew he had to take care of firing the whore who managed to ruin his life in a few moments. _It was going to be a long fucking day, _Draco thought as he set his mouth in a firm line and departed for Malfoy Industries.

Hermione and T.J. left London in Mesmerize's corporate jet and landed in Chicago, Illinois, T.J.'s hometown. When they arrived a Cadillac Escalade was waiting to bring them to their destination, T.J.'s condo located in the Hyde Park area. Located in a high-rise, Hermione took in the skyline of Chicago as the glass elevator took them to the 35th floor. When the elevator reached the designated floor, T.J. and Hermione stepped out. Hermione followed her down the long hall until they reached T.J.'s condo. T.J. unlocked the door and ushered Hermione inside.

"Home sweet home. Jeez, I've only been gone a week but it feels more like a month. Let me show you your room so you can get settled in. Make yourself comfortable because this is going to be your home for a while," T.J. chuckled.

"Thank you. I appreciate you letting me crash at your place. This is really nice," Hermione replied.

"It's no problem girl. I have plenty of room," T.J. said and she wasn't lying. The condo had three bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, along with a spacious living room, kitchen, and utility area. Hermione was expecting to see a sterile and minimalist décor similar to Draco's home, but she was pleasantly surprised when T.J.'s home was filled with bright colors and funky artwork on the walls. There were also plenty of photos of what Hermione assumed was T.J.'s family and friends.

Hermione settled into the bedroom and put away her clothing and other items. When she was done, she went to the window in her bedroom, taking in the impressive view of Chicago. She and T.J. planned on resting and then T.J. was going to give her a tour of the city. It was Hermione's first time there and she was looking forward to checking it out, but she was still distraught when she thought about the event that led her to the States. Despite what Draco had done, she still loved and missed him. After taking a quick shower, she climbed into the queen-sized bed and hugged a throw pillow. She was feeling jetlagged and it wasn't long before she dozed off. Her last thought was of the last image of Draco when he was pleading with her not to go.

When Draco walked in to Malfoy Industries, he was greeted by a smiling Starla. He was fit to be tied, but for some odd reason, Starla had a calming effect on his mood. He managed to smile back at her and tell her good morning. Starla had heard gossip about Nicolette going home with him the night before and that he'd told her to get lost. Maybe that snotty bitch was finally going to get what was coming to her.

Draco went straight to Lucius' office and walked in, firmly closing the door behind him. Lucius looked up from his paperwork and raised his eyebrows.

"I'm surprised you made it in this morning considering how inebriated you were the night before. Did Ms. Ames tuck you in?" Lucius chuckled as he attempted to make a joke.

"So that's the name of the whore who was trying to blow me in my living room while I was passed out?" Draco drawled as he took as seat across from his father.

"Oh my, someone had an interesting evening," Lucius said and laughed.

"I don't find this funny at all Father. Hermione left me last night because of that bitch. Who is she? I want her fired immediately," Draco snarled.

"Draco, we can't fire Nicolette Ames because of something that occurred during non-working hours. Nicolette may have done you a favor, perhaps it was time you and Ms. Granger took a break from each other," Lucius drawled.

"Finally, I know the whore's name! I can't believe you're telling me this. I'm in love with Hermione and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. So you're saying I can't fire Nicolette huh? Well that bitch better be on top of her game at Malfoy Industries. Merlin help her if she slips," Draco growled as his fingernails dug into the armrests of the chair he was seated in.

"I didn't realize your feelings were so strong for Ms. Granger Draco," Lucius said softly, taking note of Draco's reaction. "I apologize for my comments regarding Ms. Ames; it seems I've spoken out of turn."

"Apology accepted Father. I'm sorry for bursting in here unannounced, but I can't think straight. I need to talk to Hermione and she doesn't want a thing to do with me," Draco replied as he ran his hands through his hair. He was also shocked by his father apologizing to him. Lucius must be getting soft in his old age. The truth of the matter was that Lucius finally realized how serious Draco was about Hermione when he saw how angry and distraught his son was.

"I'm sure you'll be able to work it out with Ms. Granger. Perhaps you need to give her a few days to cool off," Lucius suggested.

"I hope so Father," Draco said and walked out. Lucius watched him as he left the office and sighed as he shook his head. Draco looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He sincerely hoped his son would be able to work things out with the muggleborn witch.

Ginny returned home Friday morning and was shocked to see that Hermione was gone. She read the note Hermione left, but found it very peculiar that her friend would just decide to leave for the States the night before. Ginny wondered if something happened to prompt Hermione to make such a rash decision. Before Ginny had left, Hermione was happy and things were going well with Draco. Harry had shown her how to use muggle email, so she sent out an email to Hermione.

_Hermione,_

_It was quite a shock to return to an empty house! What is going on? Hope all is well._

_Ginny_

It was Friday evening and Ginny was still waiting to hear from Hermione. She called Mesmerize to try to find out something, but was only told that Ms. Granger was out of the country. After taking care of a few errands during the day, Ginny returned home. She planned to have a quiet night alone for Harry was out on a mission and would probably be gone until Sunday. As she prepared a sandwich for her dinner, she thought about how much she missed Hermione. She hoped that she was okay. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at the front door. Ginny frowned, she wasn't expecting anyone. She put her sandwich down and walked to the door.

"Draco? Why are you using the front door? We have a floo," Ginny said and laughed, but she stopped when she saw the look of desperation on Draco's face.

"I know there's a floo, but Hermione locked it. Where is she Ginny? I really need to speak to her," Draco said as his eyes darted all around.

"Draco, you don't know? She left for the States last night. Wait a second, did you have something to do with Hermione's sudden departure? What is going on with you two?" Ginny said with narrowed eyes and both hands on her hips.

"We had a misunderstanding last night, she got angry and left. I thought I'd let her cool off. I had no idea she had left the country," Draco said in a morose tone and sat down heavily on the nearest chair, letting out a sigh. "I fucked up Ginny."

"Yeah, I think I'm piecing that together Draco. What did you do?" Ginny asked and sighed as she sat across from him and picked up her sandwich. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" she asked and Draco shook his head. Food was the furthest thing from his mind. Ginny took a bite of her sandwich and waited for him to speak.

"Hermione received an offer to go to the States earlier this week. When she told me about it and said she was going to be away for one or two months, I lost it. I gave her an ultimatum of choosing me or her job," Draco said.

"Draco, what the hell? That was a pretty stupid thing to say to Hermione of all people," Ginny said in a point-blank manner.

"Are you going to let me finish?" Draco interjected. Ginny was getting on his nerves but she was a link to getting Hermione back.

"Forgive me, do go on," Ginny said sarcastically. She was a little taken aback that Draco was confiding in her.

Draco ignored the sarcasm and continued. "She left from my house Monday night and didn't speak to me in the next few days, even when I sent her flowers and tried to apologize. Well, Thursday rolls along and I'm pissed that she hasn't responded to me. We closed a big deal at work and my father took the office out for drinks. I drank more than I should have and when I left the pub, one of our employees accompanied me."

"Oh shit, I think I know where this is going. Let me guess, Hermione caught you and the 'employee' who I'm assuming is female, in a compromising position," Ginny said flatly.

"That pretty much sums it up, but you must know it wasn't consensual! Ginny, I was drunk off my arse and had passed out on my couch. When I woke up, there was Nicolette with my cock in her mouth! That was the scene Hermione walked in on. When I think about the look on her face, I hate myself," Draco said sadly and put his face in his hands.

Ginny finished her sandwich and then daintily wiped away any stray crumbs with a napkin. She scrutinized Draco for a few moments before she spoke, deciding if he was telling the truth or not. Ginny decided that she believed him. "That's fucked up. If I were you, I would give Hermione some time to cool off. I'm sure she's hurt and extremely pissed off."

"I know my father gave me the same advice, but I feel if I could only see her face to face, I know I could convince her that it wasn't what she thought. Ginny, she's everything to me," Draco said as his voice cracked.

"Draco, why don't you go home and try to get some rest. You look like shit," Ginny replied in a matter of fact manner.

"Normally I'd take offense at that, but I know you're telling the truth. I feel like shit too. Thanks for hearing me out and if you talk to Hermione, please tell her how sorry I am. I'll do anything to make it up to her," Draco said as he stood up to leave.

"No problem. Just give Hermione some time Draco, I know she loves you," Ginny said. She actually felt sorry for Draco.

Ginny removed the locking spell from the floo and Draco called out the address to his home. When he walked into his living room, he was immediately reminded of what had occurred there. He sighed and walked out of the room. Draco went straight to his bedroom and took off his suit. Clad only in boxer shorts, he climbed into his bed, clutching the pillow next to him and wishing it was Hermione. He felt his eyes grow heavy and he gave in to his weariness and the toll this day had taken on him.

He had been asleep for about two hours when he was awakened by the sound of someone coming through his floo. Draco sat up in bed, his heart beating a little faster as he thought about who it could be. He prayed that it was Hermione as he left his bed to find out who was there. When he went down to the living room and saw who was there, he grimaced and fought the urge to return to his bed.

"Draconius! Long time no see," Blaise Zabini boomed. Blaise had been a close friend of Draco's at Hogwarts. They hadn't seen each other since the war ended because Blaise had decided to go to a wizarding academy in Italy, rather than finish his last year at Hogwarts.

"Yeah it has been some time. How have you been?" Draco asked, trying to be polite.

"I'm good. Hey man, why are you in your underwear? Oh shit, did I interrupt you and your witch?" Blaise chuckled.

"No, I was actually asleep. There's no witch warming my bed. Give me a moment and I'll put on some clothes," Draco replied.

"Dray I can come back if now isn't a good time. I had gone by the Manor and your mum gave me your address. I had just come by to see if you wanted to hang out," Blaise said.

"It's all good Blaise. It truly is good to see you. I won't be long," Draco said as he walked to his bedroom.

Draco was annoyed at this intrusion at first, but as he quickly pulled on his clothes he was glad that Blaise was there. Maybe the heaviness in his heart would ebb a little with the presence of a good friend. When Draco went downstairs, he and Blaise went into the kitchen. They caught up with what had been going on each other's lives over dinner.

"So what's this I hear about you and Hermione Granger? Dude I have to admit I couldn't believe it. You two hated each other with a passion," Blaise said.

Draco smiled sadly and told Blaise what had occurred the night before. Blaise sat back, taking a sip from his butterbeer and processed this information. "Man, I'm surprised you still have your balls. What're you going to do?"

"I don't know Blaise. Father and Ginny Weasley both advised that I should give her some space before I try to contact her," Draco replied.

"Well how about we go out and do something in the meantime? I've been hearing about that new quidditch sports bar, Gene's in Diagon Alley. What do you say we check it out?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know Blaise. I'm not going to be very good company," Draco began to say until Blaise held up his hand.

"Stop right there. Look, moping around at home isn't going to do you any good. You need to be around people. How about we go for a few hours?" Blaise asked.

"I guess it won't hurt to get out. Just keep me away from the Firewhiskey," Draco said wryly.

"You got it. Come on, we might meet up with other friends," Blaise said.

Draco only nodded and sighed inwardly. He and Blaise made their way to the floo and gave the address to Gene's. Within seconds they were there and it was a full house. The two young men saw a couple leaving the bar, so they quickly grabbed the seats. Once seated, they ordered beers and started talking again. It wasn't long before they were approached by two young women.

"Excuse me, I just need to squeeze in here to order a drink," a pretty brunette said as she squeezed in next to Blaise.

Blaise winked at Draco. "How about I make a little room for you?' he said, giving his most winning smile. When the bartender approached her, she ordered her drink and began to converse with Blaise. Her friend, blonde-haired and blue eyes, pretty in a bland way, eyed Draco with interest, but he paid her no mind. Draco only stared into his beer and took occasional sips, tuning out Blaise and the two witches. He was startled when Blaise tapped him on the back.

"Hey, Stacy and Reenie want to check out the dance clubs, so we're going to head out. Do you want to come?" Blaise asked.

Draco shook his head. "No man, I'm gonna head back home. Have fun." He stood up and started walking to the exit. Reenie followed him.

"Oh don't be such a party pooper! We'll have so much fun," Reenie the blonde said and placed a hand on Draco's forearm as she gave him what she thought was a sexy pout, but she looked more like a puffed-up frog.

Draco didn't want to be rude, but something told him he'd have to with a witch like Reenie. "There is no 'we.' I'm sure you'll have a good time with you. Now if you'd remove your hand, I'll be leaving."

Reenie gave Draco a shocked look and then her face twisted in an ugly grimace. "Well excuse me for living jerk!"

Draco ignored her and walked out of Gene's. If Blaise wanted to hang out with those two annoying bints, he sure wasn't going to stand in his way. He disapparated to his home and went straight to his bedroom. As he removed his clothes and put on a pair of pajama bottoms, he thought about Hermione and wondered how she was doing. He climbed into his bed and it was some time before he fell asleep.

When Hermione woke up a few hours later, she padded into the living room. She was surprised to see T.J. was up and dressed. She grinned when she saw Hermione.

"Don't mind me, I have so many things racing through my mind, it's hard for me to take a nap. Take your time getting ready and when you're done, I'll give you the grand tour of my hometown," T.J. said.

Hermione smiled. "Thanks T.J. I appreciate it." She noticed that T.J. was in jeans and a light sweater with boots, so Hermione dressed similarly. When she was done, she grabbed her handbag and went to meet T.J.

Despite the heaviness she had in her heart, Hermione managed to have fun with T.J. The first thing they did was have dinner, which consisted of Chicago-style pizza and longneck Bud Lights to wash it down. She liked that despite Chicago being such a sprawling metropolis, everyone at the pizzeria knew T.J. There was a small-town feel in T.J.'s neighborhood. From there, T.J. took her to the wizard area of Chicago, Mystic Lakes. Hermione was thrilled when they walked into a club and The Protagonists were playing. It had been some time since she had seen Gemma and the rest of the band.

"How cool, I haven't seen them in ages! I didn't know they were playing in the States," Hermione said over the music.

"They just started a few weeks ago. They're doing really well too and receiving good reviews from the American wizarding press. I'm glad they signed with us before one of the other recording companies snagged them," T.J. said.

They sat at the bar and kept drinking the muggle beer. Hermione wasn't really drunk, she just felt really relaxed. As she looked around the club, she watched couples sitting at tables, talking and laughing, some getting up to dance. She didn't know if it was the effects of the alcohol, but if Draco would've walked in that moment, she would've jumped in his arms, no questions asked. Maybe it was best that she put some distance between them, it would give her time to clear her head and decide if pursuing a relationship with Draco was worth it. It was going to be difficult to forgive him for his indiscretion with Nicolette.

When the band took a break, Hermione and T.J. went over to meet them.

"Hey! I thought it was you with T.J. at the bar! I didn't know you were working in the States," Gemma exclaimed as she hugged Hermione. The guys in the band smiled and greeted Hermione too.

Hermione hugged her back. "It was kind of a last minute decision. I'll be here for a month or two. We'll be checking out some new bands. How are you doing? You all look good and the band sounds great!"

Gemma went on to tell her that they were going to be going on tour with The Tormented Toms in a few weeks. Hermione was so excited for her friend and her band. They were really on their way. Before the break ended, Gemma made Hermione promise that they would get together and hang out. The Protagonists were going to be in Chicago until they kicked off the tour.

In the next few weeks, Hermione was so busy with T.J. that she barely had time to dwell on Draco. She was grateful for the distraction of scouting out the new bands and working out of Mesmerize's Chicago location. It was only when she was alone late at night, that the tears would well up and she'd think about him. Was he thinking about her or was he too busy carousing with his whore? She went over so many scenarios in her mind, asking what would have happened if she would've done this or that differently, but when it came down to it, fucking hindsight is 20/20.

She and T.J., along with T.J.'s American team worked in Chicago and the surrounding area. Hermione was astounded at how much talent was out there. There were definitely quite a few music acts that were going to take the wizarding world by storm. After she had been there for a month, T.J. approached Hermione.

"How are you? You've been doing a great job, but I wanted to see how you were doing personally," T.J. asked.

"I'm okay T.J. It's really easy to focus when we're working. It's just when I get back to your apartment, I start thinking about him. I have no idea what's waiting for me when I return to London," Hermione replied.

T.J. nodded. "Why don't take a week off and go home, Hermione. I'll probably take a break too and visit my family for a week. I'll totally understand if you decide to stay, however if you return, I just got a hot new lead on a band in Pensacola, Florida. Mesmerize has a beach house there and that's where we'll be staying."

"I don't know T.J.; do you think being at a beach house in November is going to be fun?" Hermione asked.

"I love the beach anytime of the year Hermione. There's nothing like getting up early in the morning and breathing in the fresh sea air. The house is really nice and it's located in a central location. I'll also be able to visit my cousin Kendall. He's an officer in the US Navy and he's stationed at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola," T.J. replied.

"That's pretty cool. Is he a wizard?" Hermione asked.

T.J. nodded and grinned. "He is, but no one knows. There's a handful of other wizards stationed there too. They decided they wanted to serve their country. I know my cousin enjoys living in both worlds."

"I'll take that into consideration T.J. It sounds great, but I think I want to stay in London if I can work things out with Draco. I'm sorry, but I miss him so much," Hermione said and wiped away a few tears.

"Don't apologize, Hermione. You go home and get your priorities in order. But just know that you're welcome to come back and join me in Pensacola," T.J. said and hugged Hermione.

"Thank you T.J. These past few weeks have been amazing and I really appreciate you giving me this opportunity to prove myself," Hermione said and hugged her back.

"I truly hope everything works out the way you want it to Hermione," T.J. said.

The next day, Hermione took a flight back to London. She had called her parents the night before and they were thrilled that she was coming home. They met her at the airport and Hermione had to fight back tears when she saw her mum and dad. She didn't realize how much she'd miss them. They helped her with her luggage and were going to bring her to the cottage, but Hermione told them she wanted to stay at their house.

When they arrived, Hermione went upstairs to her room and fell onto her bed. She closed her eyes and hugged her arms to her chest. It truly was good to be home and she was filled with anticipation knowing that Draco was so close. Her eyelids began to feel heavy and soon she fell asleep. She was shocked when she awoke to her mum's light knocking on the door, to let her know that dinner was ready. Hermione couldn't believe that she'd napped for about 4 hours.

She went to her bathroom and washed her face. Looking at her reflection, she noticed that she looked happy and relaxed. Hopefully this was a sign that it was the right time for her to come home. She had sent an owl to Ginny earlier and was meeting her later. They planned on having a girls' night so they could catch up on all of the gossip. Hermione was also curious to know if Ginny had seen or talked to Draco. She had kept in touch with Ginny while she was in the States but they didn't speak about Draco. Ginny had started to mention his name but Hermione would tell her she didn't want to know and would steer the conversation to something else. It was her way of protecting herself because she didn't want to have a meltdown while she was in the States. Now that she was on her home turf, she felt stronger and could handle news or gossip about Draco.

After having dinner with her parents, Hermione went to her room to grab her purse before leaving to meet Ginny. As she was about to leave, her mother met her in the hallway.

"I just wanted to tell you dad and I are glad you're back. Hermione I don't want to pry dear, but did something happen between you and Draco?" her mum asked.

Hermione nodded. "We broke up because of something he did. I don't want to go into the details mum, but I caught him with another witch."

"That's awful dear! I'm so sorry," Mrs. Granger gasped.

"I guess now you know why I made such a hasty trip to the States. It gave me time to think and I've realized that I still love and care for him. Isn't that crazy?" Hermione asked sadly.

Mrs. Granger shook her head and pulled Hermione to her. "It doesn't sound crazy at all Hermione. I guess we'll never understand why men do such hurtful things. Has he attempted to contact you or given some sort of explanation?"

Hermione told her mother what had occurred that fateful night. Mrs. Granger listened and didn't interrupt her daughter. When Hermione was finished, her mother regarded her for a moment, and then began to speak.

"I've seen the two of you together dear and I believe that Draco is very smitten with you. Maybe you should give him another chance and listen to his explanation as to what happened that night," Mrs. Granger said.

"You know me well mum because that was what I planned on doing. I'm glad we talked," Hermione said softly.

"I am too dear. Your father and I will always be there for you," Mrs. Granger replied.

With that, Hermione hugged her mother and went downstairs to hug her father before leaving. Things were definitely starting to look up.

Nicolette finally got what was coming to her and it was because of Starla. One day Starla was working through the stack of files Nicolette had brought to her. Draco came up to her desk to give her a few pieces of outgoing mail. He had never taken notice of what Starla was working on before, but he spotted a file from a new Malaysian file and wondered why Starla was in possession of it. Starla watched out of the corner of her eye as Draco began to look through the files, a frown on his face. When he was done with his scrutiny, he turned to Starla.

"Starla, why are you working on this? These files are not part of your duties," Draco asked.

Starla stopped typing and looked at Draco. "Well Mr. Malfoy I thought they were. Nicolette brings them to me every day and she wants the reports prepared by the end of the day. I hope I haven't done anything wrong."

A slow smile spread on Draco's face. He had that bitch! Who the hell did she think was delegating her work to Starla? "You haven't done anything wrong Starla. Please hand me the files."

"Of course Mr. Malfoy," Starla answered as she handed the stack to him and watched him go back towards his office. As soon as Draco was out of sight, Starla pumped her fist and smiled triumphantly. Something told her Nicolette wasn't going to be dumping work on her any longer.

Draco brought the files to his office and set them down on his desk. He shook his head when he took in the huge stack of work Nicolette had piled on Starla. He was amazed that Starla handled it so efficiently. _Someone was going to be getting a promotion and someone's arse is going to be out of job,_ Draco thought as he made the trek to Nicolette's office.

Nicolette Ames had it made; all she had to do was show up for work and relax. That cow up front did her work and never complained; Starla was probably grateful that Nicolette even noticed her. Her superiors just assumed that Nicolette had prepared the reports when she handed them in at the end of the day.

She was sitting at her desk and filing her nails, when she heard a knock at her office door. Upon answering it, it was none other than Draco Malfoy. Nicolette gave him an alluring smile.

"Why Mr. Malfoy, this is quite a surprise. What can I do for you?" Nicolette said as she ushered him in and closed the door behind him. She knew he couldn't ignore her forever.

Draco smiled at her and took a seat in a chair positioned in front of her desk. There was another chair beside it and this is where Nicolette sat. She made sure that she pulled up her short skirt to reveal as much leg as possible. Draco took note of this and wanted to laugh. The bitch really thought he was there for her to seduce him.

"You asked what you can do for me, well here's my request," Draco said in a low voice and bent his head close to hers. Nicolette's smile widened and then her mouth was partially open. _She really thinks I'm going to kiss her,_ Draco laughed to himself.

"Anything Mr. Malfoy," Nicolette said in a low, husky voice.

"I want to know why the fuck is Starla doing all of your work. You better have a damn good explanation," Draco growled and sat back. He gave her a look of disgust.

"Whhh-aaa-tt?" Nicolette stammered, but she quickly recovered. If anything, Nicolette was all about self-preservation. "It was just some overflow work and all she does is sit up there and answer the phone. Did that fat cow report me?"

"You're a despicable excuse for a witch! I can't believe you're going to sit there and lie. Starla is doing all of your work and has been for months, hasn't she? For the record, Starla never said a word or complained about you. Get your personal belongings together, you are no longer employed with Malfoy Industries!" Draco bellowed.

"Can't we discuss this? I really like my job here and I promise I'll do my own work from now on," Nicolette pleaded.

"There is nothing to discuss, get the hell out of here. Security will escort you out," Draco said. As soon as he said this, a member of Malfoy Industries security team walked in. "Mr. Timmons will see you out." With that said Draco walked out of her office and never looked back. Nicolette was in tears as she shrunk down her personal belongings and placed them in her handbag. She had never been so humiliated.

Draco walked back to his office with a huge grin on his face. Now that he had gotten rid of Nicolette, he needed to figure out how to get Hermione back. She had been gone for nearly a month. When he entered his office, he closed his door and leaned against it. He sighed, closed his eyes for a few moments, and then went to his desk. He unlocked a small drawer located near the center and pulled out a small box. He opened the box and looked at the ring he had purchased for Hermione. Maybe proposing to her would let her know how much he loved her and desperately wanted her back in his life. Draco pondered if he should take some time off from work and make a trip to the United States.

Starla wanted to get up and sing the muggle song "Oh Happy Day" when she saw Nicolette being escorted out of the building by Mr. Timmons. Nicolette glared at her as she walked out. In what she knew was a childish and immature move, Starla flipped her middle finger towards Nicolette and mouthed "Fuck you bitch." Nicolette stopped walking and was about to confront Starla, but something in Starla's eyes halted her from making any move or saying anything. She quickly turned away and started walking again. Nicolette could've sworn she saw Starla's eyes take on a red glint and it scared her.

The phone rang at Starla's desk and as she answered it, she watched Nicolette leave the building. She was relieved that this part of her assignment was completed, her superior would be pleased. Now she had to work on getting the rest done. When she accomplished that, she would have everything she ever wanted.

When Hermione arrived at the cottage, Ginny was waiting to greet her.

"I'm so glad you're finally here! I missed you so much and it's so quiet here without you. Please tell me you're back for good," Ginny exclaimed as she hugged her.

"I missed you too Gin. Being back here makes me realize how much I've missed our little cottage. I could possibly be back for good, depending on Draco. I love him so much and being away made me realize how I want him back in my life despite what happened," Hermione replied as she hugged Ginny back.

They walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Ginny took a deep breath. "I've wanted to tell you what happened the day after you left, but you told me you didn't want to hear anything about Draco."

"I'm ready to hear it now Ginny. What is it?" Hermione asked, feeling a bit apprehensive for she didn't know if what Ginny was going to tell her was good or bad.

"Draco came by here wanting to see you. Hermione, you should've seen the look on his face when I told him you had left for the States. The guy was totally heartbroken," Ginny said.

"Really? I find that strange considering he was getting serviced by a harlot that works in his office," Hermione said bitterly.

"Hermione, you know I will always tell you the truth no matter how much it hurts. I honestly believe the explanation Draco gave. He said he was really drunk and had passed out. When he came to, that girl had his cock in her mouth and voila, that's when you walked in. He loves you and regrets what happened. This was a major understanding," Ginny said.

"Ginny, what do you think I should do?" Hermione asked as she bit her bottom lip.

Ginny took her hands and looked into her eyes. "Go to him."

Hermione nodded and took a deep breath. She slowly let it out. "I think I will. I've never been so nervous in all my life. What if he doesn't want to see me?"

"I don't think that's going to happen. Get your arse over there," Ginny said and smiled.

Hermione stepped up to the floo and shot Ginny a shaky smile. She called out the address to Draco's home and disappeared.

"Pleas Dray, do this for me. I'll give you my firstborn child," Blaise pleaded.

"Seriously Blaise? I told you that I wasn't interested in going on a date with Reenie. Even her name is fucking annoying. Why can't you and Stacy go out on your own?" Draco asked and grimaced at Blaise.

"She won't go anywhere unless Reenie has a date. They share some kind of stupid witch code where they look out for each other. Man, I'm so close to sleeping with Stacy. I know she'll be coming home with me tonight if you go along with this," Blaise replied.

"Shit Blaise, I'm really not in the mood for this. I'm working on getting Hermione back. I sure don't want anyone seeing me out with another witch," Draco said.

"We'll be going to a club that opened recently, Pim's Place. I doubt we'll see anyone we know," Blaise said.

"I don't know man. Hermione's coworkers are always showing up at clubs, especially the ones that just opened," Draco said doubtfully.

"Come on Draco. Hermione's in the States. Besides those places are usually so crowded, no one will notice us," Blaise pleaded again.

Draco shook his head. "I know I'm going to regret this, but I'll do it for me. You owe me, just remember that."

"Thank you, I'm eternally grateful oh Master Malfoy!" Blaise joked. He knew it wouldn't take long to get Draco to agree to his plan for the evening.

The two young men took the floo from Draco's home to meet the girls at Stacy's apartment. Draco was only doing this as a favor for Blaise, he couldn't wait for the evening to be over.

Hermione arrived in Draco's living room and was relieved that he hadn't locked his floo. She walked through the living room and into the kitchen, but didn't see him there. She then walked to the stairs and walked up, calling out his name. The house remained quiet. She wondered if she should wait for him to return from wherever he had gone, but then decided to return to the cottage. Before leaving, she looked around and took a deep breath. She could smell traces of the cologne he wore and it filled her with longing. She let the breath out and went to the floo, calling out the address to the cottage.

When she returned to the cottage, Ginny came up to her with a concerned look on her face.

"That was quick; I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. Did everything go okay?" she asked

"He wasn't home," Hermione chuckled.

"That sucks! What're you going to do?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know Gin. I thought about waiting for him, but I don't know where he is. For all I know he out of the country on a business trip," Hermione replied.

Ginny nodded. "I guess we hadn't thought of that. Some of my teammates have been going on about this new club that opened, Pim's Place. Apparently it is the place to be "seen," their words not mine," she laughed.

"Oh yeah, I was there the night before I left for the States. We can go if you want, it's a really nice club, Pim outdid himself," Hermione replied.

"Pim is it?" Ginny asked with her eyebrows raised.

Hermione laughed and playfully punched Ginny on her upper arm. "He's one of the hottest wizard DJ's around. I know him from working at Mesmerize. Pim is a cool guy."

"Okay, okay. Let's get ready for a night of clubbing. Merlin it's been ages since I've been out. I've been spending all of my spare time planning the wedding with Mum and being with Harry," Ginny said.

"How are Harry and Ron? I was hoping to see them," Hermione said.

"They're working for the weekend, but their shift is supposed to end tomorrow afternoon," Ginny said.

As they began to prepare to go out, Hermione realized how much she had missed Ginny. It was fun doing their hair and makeup together. It hit her that this might be one of the last times they would be able to spend this much time together. Ginny was going to be a married woman soon. She felt a bout of sadness wanting to overtake her when she thought about this, but Hermione regained her bearings. School was over and they were now in the real world, finding their paths in life. She was glad for Ginny and Harry. If only she knew what path she was destined for.

Hermione looked cute and flirty in a short fuchsia red dress with a flouncy skirt and flowing sleeves of chiffon. She paired it with matching heels. Ginny opted for one-shoulder black silk top and leopard print skinny jeans. She wore this with black boots. Hermione's hair was pulled back in a long fishtail braid. Ginny left her hair down and it flowed smoothly down to the middle of her back.

When they arrived at Pim's Place, there was a line waiting to get in and a doorman with a clipboard. Hermione waved at him and smiled. She knew him. He smiled when he recognized Hermione and motioned for her and Ginny to come to the front of the line. As he ushered them into the club, people waiting in line grumbled about having to wait, but the doorman only fixed them with a haughty stare.

The club was once again packed with people at the bar and on the dance floor. The music was pumping and Hermione smiled when she recognized the song playing was by The Protagonists. She saw Pim up in the DJ booth that overlooked the dance floor. She decided to tell him hello, so she and Ginny went up to the booth. When Pim saw them, he smiled and let them in.

"Hey Hermione, long time no see babe! Heard you and T.J. have been tearing it up in the States! Who's your friend?" Pim asked. He was a flirt, but was harmless. Pim had been married to the same woman for the past 10 years. His wife knew that the flirting was all part of his public persona. When he was home, Pim was a dedicated husband and a wonderful father to his two young sons.

Hermione introduced them and Pim immediately recognized Ginny's name from the Holyhead Harpies. She smiled when they began discussing quidditch. Hermione let her eyes scan the dance floor and watched the patrons dance. All of a sudden, she spotted a familiar head of platinum hair. Her heart began to begin to beat faster when she realized it was Draco. She was about to go down to meet him on the dance floor when she noticed he wasn't alone. Her heart seemed to get stuck in her throat when she saw him dancing with a small blonde girl. At least it wasn't that Nicolette skank, but obviously Draco had moved on.

Ginny was about to ask Hermione a question when she saw that her friend was looking towards the dance floor. Ginny looked in the same direction and her face fell. This was not good. There was Draco dancing with some other chick. She looked at Hermione and Hermione gave her a sad smile.

"I shouldn't have waiting so long Gin. He's moved on," she said sadly.

Ginny grabbed her and squeezed it. "Let's get out of here." Pim noticed and asked if everything was okay. Ginny made up a quick story that Hermione wasn't feeling too well and they were going to get some air.

They went back to the cottage and settled in the living room. Ginny couldn't believe what they had just witnessed. Her heart went out to Hermione.

"Hermione, can I get you anything?" Ginny asked.

"I'm fine Gin. I guess going out wasn't sure a good idea. Maybe this was a sign, maybe Draco and I were never meant to be together. Maybe I should just cut my losses and move on like he has. What sucks is that I love him so much," Hermione said and her voice began to crack.

Ginny pulled her close and let her cry. After a few minutes, Hermione sat up and grabbed a tissue from her handbag. She wiped her face and looked at Ginny.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this Gin. I'm a mess, aren't I," Hermione chuckled half-heartedly.

"Don't apologize Hermione. This is what friends are for. If you're a mess what does that make me?" Ginny joked.

The two young women spent the next few hours talking and eating ice cream. They fell asleep in the living room. Hermione was emotionally exhausted but felt better after talking to Ginny.

The next morning, Hermione sent a message to T.J. via a long-distance owl. There was only one line:

_Pensacola here I come._

**Sometimes it takes awhile to get the creative juices flowing! Thank you for your patience.**

**Once again, thank you so much for the alerts and reviews. Happy Holidays!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Disclaimer:**** Still hasn't change, I own nothing related to Harry Potter. This is simply a figment of my twisted imagination.**

"Dance with me!" Reenie screamed into his ear over the pulsating music in the club.

Draco was aggravated as he fought the urge to hex the annoying witch. Blaise owed him big time he thought as he reluctantly followed Reenie onto the dance floor. Blaise was already there with Stacy and he shot Draco a grateful look and mouthed "Thanks."

Draco grimaced at him as he maneuvered around the crowded dance floor, mentally shaking his head as Reenie tried to "dirty dance" with him. After a few seconds of this, Draco had had enough. He gently pushed her away and walked off of the dance floor. _Why I even let Blaise talk me into this, _he thought as he made his way out of the club. As he left, he was glad that he hadn't met up with anyone he knew or one of Hermione's colleagues. Draco sure didn't want Hermione to think he was with someone like Reenie.

Reenie was confused. One moment she was putting her most seductive dance move on Blaise's friend but when she looked back, he was gone. She pouted for about one second and then moved on to another guy on the dance floor. _Blaise's friend was such a pill,_ she thought as she began to dance with her new man. She only agreed to go out with Draco tonight as a favor to Stacy. _The things we do for our friends, _she thought. Stacy definitely owed her one.

Starla had just received word from one of her sources that Draco and Hermione were at the new club, Pim's Place. She sighed as she put aside her bowl of popcorn; she had been about to settle in for the evening with a good book when she received the owl. _Duty calls, _she thought as she stood up and went to her bedroom to change out of her comfy PJs and replace them with "clubbing" clothes. Starla thought everything was in place since Nicolette was gone, but it looks like this mission was going to need more work.

Once she was dressed, she took her floo to Diagon Alley and then walked to Pim's Place. She made a face when she saw the long line waiting to enter the club. Starla walked up to the bouncer at the door, smiling at him and whispering a charm. The normally stoic man's face lit up in a bright smile and he let her into the club. The people who'd been waiting in line for over an hour began to complain, but he ignored them as he watched Starla walk into the club. They were astounded as how a plain and overweight girl like Starla was able to get in without waiting.

As Starla's eyes adjusted to the bright lights flashing, she saw Hermione brush by her. She was able to get a glimpse of Hermione's face and she looked upset. Hermione was definitely in a hurry to get out of the club. She turned to follow her, but a drunken couple blocked her way. By the time Starla was able to get around them and catch up with Hermione, Hermione was gone. Disappointed and not sure why she was there, Starla made her way back into the club and found a spot where she could get a good view of the dance floor. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Draco on the dance floor with some blonde slag. _No wonder Hermione left in such a hurry, _she thought. Suddenly Draco walked off of the dance floor, leaving the slag to fend for herself. Starla smiled. For a time, she was beginning to wonder if this was a lost cause and she should give up, but this assignment looked like it could be salvaged after all. She kept her distance as she followed Draco out of the club. When she was sure that he had returned home, she went back to her apartment. Starla happily changed back into her PJs, glad to be back to return to her book.

When Draco returned home through the floo and entered his living room, he could've sworn he smelled Hermione's perfume. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes; it was almost as if she was right beside him. He opened his eyes and exhaled. It was just his mind playing tricks; Hermione had never been in his living room. He gave a weary sigh as he took the stairs to his bedroom. Draco missed her so much.

T.J. read Hermione's note and sat back to reflect on it. A part of her was ecstatic that Hermione was going to be working with her in Pensacola, but yet she couldn't help feeling sad that Hermione hadn't been able to work things out with her boyfriend. She wondered what had happened this time.

Within a few days, Hermione was in Pensacola with T.J. She quickly immersed herself in work; there was paperwork that had to be completed and potential new bands to check out. The distraction was good because when her mind was unoccupied, all Hermione could think about was Draco with that girl on the dance floor.

T.J. let her be. The only thing Hermione had told her was that Draco had moved on, so T.J. assumed that Hermione had seen Draco with another girl. _Love sucks, _T.J. thought as she saw Hermione staring out of a window in the living room of the beach house. It overlooked the water and Hermione looked lost in thought. Suddenly she turned and faced T.J.

"I think I'm going to take a walk down the beach," Hermione said.

"Do you want me to go with you? I have a fresh pot of coffee, we can take some with us," T.J. suggested.

"I'll be fine T.J. I know you like to drink your coffee and read the paper in the morning. Stay here. I just need to clear my head," Hermione replied.

"Okay girl. When you get back we'll go over the new contracts and our plans for tonight," T.J. said.

"Sounds good, I'll see you later," Hermione said, grabbing her iPod as she opened the sliding glass doors. When she walked out, she breathed in the salty and slightly cool air from the sea. T.J. was right; there was nothing like the fresh sea air in the morning. Hermione zipped up her hoodie which she wore over a T-shirt and jeans, along with trainers. She made her way down to the beach until she was near the water. Hermione inserted the ear pods connected to the iPod and switched on the device. She placed her hands in the pockets of the hoodie and began walking, immediately lost in thought, mostly thinking about Draco and wondering what he was doing.

Hermione looked at her watch and was shocked to see she had been walking for over 30 minutes. She turned to look back towards the beach house and it was a tiny speck in the distance. Hermione started to walk back and hoped T.J. wasn't worried about her. It really was relaxing walking on the beach this early in the morning. Suddenly a large Golden Retriever carrying a stick in its mouth came running towards her. The dog had been running in the sea and it shook itself, spraying water all over Hermione. She was startled at first, but then began to laugh because the dog was very friendly and only wanted to play. A few seconds later, a man came running up towards them, apologizing.

"I'm so sorry. Barney got away from me! I hope he didn't scare you, he's really friendly," the young man said.

"It's no problem. I was a little startled at first but I think he just wants to play," Hermione chuckled as she patted Barney on the head. She couldn't help noticing that Zach was probably a few years older than her and handsome. His light brown hair was styled in a crew cut, so she wondered if he was in the military. He was tall, about 6'2 and had a very buff physique. Hermione was able to get a good look at his body since he was shirtless and was only clad in a pair of running shorts with trainers. She wondered how he could stand the chill in the air.

"We're getting our morning run, aren't we Barney," the young man said and Barney answered with a bark. He extended his hand. "My name is Zach Hall and this is Barney, of course."

"It's nice to meet you Zach. My name is Hermione Granger," Hermione said as she shook his hand.

"Likewise. I'll let you get back to your walk and we'll continue with our run. Maybe I'll see you around," Zach said and waved. "Come on boy, let's go!" he called out to Barney and they began running.

Hermione watched them leave and started walking back to the beach house. Meeting Zach and his dog was a nice distraction, but that was it. Hermione didn't give this another thought as she finally made it back to the beach house.

Unbeknownst to Hermione as she walked away in the other direction, Zach was checking her out. He thought that she was quite pretty and admired her pert derriere in the tight jeans she wore. Alas, he turned away and returned to his daily run with Barney. He figured by Hermione's British accent that she was probably a tourist and he'd never see her again.

She and T.J. worked for most of the day and then prepared to go out for the evening. They were meeting T.J.'s cousin Kendall for dinner. After Hermione took a quick shower, she looked through her clothes and decided to wear a black sweater dress with knee-high black boots since there was a slight chill in the air that evening. When she came out of her room to meet T.J., they both laughed since their outfits were similar, except T.J.'s dress was red.

They were meeting Kendall at a seafood restaurant that was a few miles away, so T.J. drove there in a car provided by Mesmerize. When they arrived at the place, T.J. gave Kendall's name to the hostess and she brought them to the table. Before the hostess could bring them to their seats, T.J.'s cousin jumped up and greeted the two women. He hugged T.J. tightly as she laughed and then he turned his attention to Hermione.

"Come here girl, any friend of T.J.'s is a friend of mine," Kendall exclaimed as he hugged Hermione.

Hermione hugged him back and smiled. She was a bit taken aback at how much T.J. and Kendall resembled each other. When she remarked on this, the cousins nodded and told her how everyone always thinks they are brother and sister. Hermione also noticed that Kendall's hair was also styled in a crew cut like the guy she had met earlier that day. Kendall was a very striking young man and this definitely served him well with the ladies, as Hermione watched the hostess flirt with him.

Once they were seated, Hermione noticed that there were other people at the table. Imagine her shock when one of them was Zach Hall! He smiled at Hermione as she took a seat across from him. Kendall started to introduce them to his friends and when it came to Zach and Hermione, Zach laughed heartily.

"We've already met, thanks to Barney," he said.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, we met this morning on the beach."

T.J. kicked her leg lightly under the table and looked at her, muttering under her breath "You never told me you met someone." The rest of the table was laughing as Kendall was telling them that Zach used Barney to pick up women.

"I didn't think there was anything to tell," Hermione muttered back and flashed the rest of the table a bright smile. Thankfully no one had noticed their exchange.

"Hey no fair Kendall, now everyone knows my secret," Zach joked. Hermione showing up at this dinner was a very nice coincidence indeed.

As the dinner progressed, Hermione found out that Zach was indeed in the Navy and was close friends with Kendall. The other people at the table were all in the Navy too. Hermione wondered if they were all wizards and witches. When she asked Zach what he did in the Navy, he told her that he was a pilot. Kendall rolled his eyes at this.

"A pilot he says. Yes he is a pilot Hermione, but not an everyday, run of the mill pilot. Zach here is a member of the Blue Angels," Kendall said proudly.

"Wow, that's amazing," Hermione said, pleasantly surprised and astonished. "I've seen the Blue Angels fly before when I was a young girl. My father had taken me to an air show and they were there. You are definitely the best of the best to fly with them!"

"Thank you Hermione. Like you I saw the Blue Angels when I was a child and from that point on, I was hooked. This is a dream come true," Zach said.

The rest of the dinner went very well and Hermione had to admit that not only was Zach really good-looking, he also had a brain. He held a degree in aeronautical engineering and like her, read anything he could get his hands on. She actually enjoyed talking to him. When dinner was over, T.J. mentioned that she and Hermione were going to a club so everyone in the dinner party decided to tag along. Zach was pleased to hear this; he found Hermione very appealing and wasn't ready for the evening to end.

As soon as she got into the car with T.J. and closed the door, T.J. began to gush about Zach.

"Hermione! Zach is so fine, I can't believe you didn't tell me about meeting this hunk," T.J. said as she started the car and left the parking lot of the restaurant. They were headed to a club called The Purple Pelican. It was a muggle club, but there was a wizarding band playing there. T.J. and Hermione had been hearing good things about the band, so they decided to scope it out for Mesmerize.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the club and met with Kendall and his friends. Zach walked over to Hermione so they could walk in together. They weren't able to get a table, but there were seats at the bar so they were able to grab those. T.J. and Hermione sat near each other and watched the band. After a few songs, T.J. nodded to Hermione and gave her a thumbs-up. The band, Sorrow and Bliss, made the grade for a contract with Mesmerize. T.J. knew the manager, so she and Hermione went over to his table. They presented him with Mesmerize's offer and the man was beyond thrilled. He was going to have to discuss it with the band, but he was pretty sure they were going to accept Mesmerize's offer. The young women went back to the bar. Since they had to wait until the bands set was done, T.J. hit the dance floor with Kendall. Hermione watched them and was surprised when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. It was Zach.

"Do you want to take a chance on the dance floor with me?" Zach asked over the music.

Hermione shrugged. "Sure, why not." Zach smiled at her as he took her hand and led them to the dance floor. They danced through 4 songs and then Zach excused himself to go to the men's room. Hermione was glad for the break; she was parched and sweating after being on the crowded dance floor. She went to the bar and got a bottle of water, and then headed to an outside deck that overlooked the sea. The cool air refreshed her and felt good. She noticed a couple making out a few feet away from her and she looked away. It reminded her of Draco; how much she missed his kisses and touch. She turned and was about to walk back into the club, when Zach came out to meet her.

"Hey, I was wondering where you had gone off to. I really wish I could stay here, but I have an early day tomorrow," he said regretfully.

"I understand. I had a nice time tonight, thank you," Hermione replied. She held her breath when Zach closed the distance between them and she was afraid he was going to try to kiss her, but he only gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you Hermione, I enjoyed it. I don't know how long you'll be in Pensacola but I would like to see you again," Zach said.

"I'm not sure either, but we could do something," Hermione said, surprising herself that she was agreeing to see Zach again, but if Draco moved on maybe she should too.

"Great, how about you give me your number?" Zach asked. Hermione gave him the number and he punched it in his phone. He smiled as he placed his phone in his pocket. "I'll definitely be giving you a call later. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Hermione said as she watched him leave the club. She stayed out on the deck for a few more minutes and hugged her arms to her chest. Who was she kidding, because suddenly the thought of seeing Zach again didn't sound so great because despite what happened, she could only think about Draco.

Starla groaned when she received word from her source in the States. It had been a few weeks since she had seen Hermione and Draco at Pim's Place. It took some time for her to track down Hermione, but her source was finally able to locate her in Pensacola, Florida. The intelligence she received was not good because the word was that there was a gentleman making his move on Hermione. Starla knew that Draco was not seeing anyone and she was pretty sure he was still set on Hermione. She was going to have to put Plan B in action, by somehow presenting this information to Draco.

Zach called her the next day and invited her and T.J. to the base to watch the Blue Angels practice. Hermione thought it would be fun and she was actually looking forward to seeing the jets again. She and T.J. left for the base that afternoon. When they arrived at the gates, they were stopped by a military policeman. He directed them to the visitor's office located near the gate. Upon going there, they were given special passes to go to the airfield. Zach had called ahead and informed the office that he was going to have guests. T.J. was familiar with the layout of the base so she knew exactly where the airfield was located.

Hermione enjoyed her afternoon and she was very impressed with Zach's skills as a pilot. Afterwards, he met her and T.J. Hermione had to admit he looked good in his flight suit, but she felt nothing remotely passionate or romantic for Zach. He was the total package-great looking, smart, and an amazing career. Maybe if they had met before Draco, there could've been a chance for some kind of relationship, but not now. It was a messed up situation, but Hermione couldn't help it; she was still hopelessly in love with Draco.

After Nicolette's sudden departure from Malfoy Industries, Starla was promoted. She now had her own office, which was formerly Nicolette's, and she reported directly to Draco. Starla always had her work finished early, so she decided to work on a little project. While she was on her lunch hour, she had purchased a wizarding music magazine. She manipulated it to include an article about Hermione being on assignment in Pensacola, Florida. Now she had to present this bait to Draco and hopefully he would bite. She grabbed a few files and stuffed the magazine in between them, and then headed to his office.

Draco was finishing up a conference call with their office in South Korea, when there was a knock on his office door. He put his hand over the receiver and said, "Come in."

Starla walked in and smiled at him. Draco smiled back and motioned for her to take a seat. She sat across from him and arranged her files neatly.

When Draco hung up the phone, he turned his attention to Starla. "Yes Starla, how may I help you?"

"Mr. Malfoy, I just have a few questions about some of these files. Could I have a few minutes of your time?" Starla asked.

"Of course Starla. What do you need?" Draco asked and leaned forward.

"Let's see, in this file here," Starla said as she laid the file on his desk. All of a sudden, the music magazine fell out from under it and it just happened to open up on the article about Hermione. "Mr. Malfoy, I'm so sorry about this. I picked this up on my lunch hour and I must've mixed it up with my files. Let me get this out of your way."

"No, that won't be necessary Starla. I've been meaning to pick up this issue. Do you mind if I take a look at it?" Draco asked and was a bit guilty about his white lie, but as soon as he saw Hermione's name, he had to see it.

"It's no problem at all Mr. Malfoy. As a matter of fact, I'm done with the magazine so you can keep it," Starla replied and inside she was cheering because it looked like her plan had worked.

Draco reluctantly put the magazine aside and turned back to Starla. "I'll answer those questions for you."

Starla nodded and shot off a few mundane questions. When they were done, she gathered her files and went back to her office. Now she just had to wait and see.

When Starla left, Draco grabbed the magazine and turned to the article about Hermione. He quickly read it. When he was done, he leaned back in his chair and thought about what he had just read. Hermione was in Pensacola, Florida on assignment for Mesmerize. Draco decided he knew what he needed to do. He was going to Pensacola to get her back.

Starla was back in her office and mentally crossing her fingers, when the phone rang.

"This is Starla, may I help you," she said when she answered the phone

"Starla, this is Mr. Malfoy. I need you to arrange travel plans for two to Pensacola, Florida," Draco said.

"When did you want to depart?" Starla asked in a professional manner, but she wanted to whoop and holler. Her plan was working, but she wondered who he was taking with him.

"I want the earliest flight out," Draco replied.

"I'll get right on it Mr. Malfoy," Starla said.

"Thank you," Draco replied and hung up. For the first time in weeks, he smiled. He was going to get his girl.

This all took place Thursday afternoon. By the time Starla was done, she had managed to get Draco on a flight that was leaving at 8 p.m. that evening. She went to Draco's office to let him know that he would be able to leave that evening. When she told him, she couldn't get over how his smile lit up his face. He really was in love with Hermione Granger. _This has to work, _Starla thought, for if it didn't she'd be stuck at Malfoy Industries and that was the last thing Starla wanted.

Draco left the office at 4 p.m. and instructed Starla to let his father know he was going to be out of the office the next day. Lucius probably wouldn't question it since he knew Draco sometimes took business trips. As soon as Draco returned home, he floo called Blaise. He had spoken to Blaise a few times since that disastrous date with Reenie, but they had never gotten together. Blaise was surprised when he saw Draco come through.

"Dray! I sure wasn't expecting to see you," Blaise said, smiling as he greeted his friend.

"Remember you owed me one for taking out Stacy's friend? Time to pay up," Draco said.

"Anything you need my friend. Look I want to apologize about that. What a mistake! That Stacy bitch is nuts, I thought I'd never get rid of her," Blaise said.

Draco held up his hand. "No problem, apology accepted. Are you up for a trip to the States?"

"Sure, but where in the States? What's in the-oh wait does this have anything to do with Hermione Granger?" Blaise asked with a sly grin.

"I'm leaving tonight for Pensacola, Florida and I have an extra first-class ticket," Draco replied and smirked.

"Let me pack a few items and we can be on our way. I wonder what Florida babes are like," Blaise said and grinned as he walked to his bedroom. His friend was really in love with Granger. He hoped that everything would work out to Draco's advantage. It would be really fucked up to get all the way over there and the witch still thought Draco was shit.

Draco and Blaise arrived at the airport at about 6 p.m. and were seated comfortably on the jet by 7:35 p.m. Blaise looked over at this friend and shook his head in wonder. It was as if Draco couldn't stop smiling. He'd never seen Draco Malfoy look this happy. They left London on time and arrived in Pensacola the following morning. A car was waiting to pick them up from the airport and brought them to the hotel Starla had reserved. As they checked in, Draco thought about only one thing: finding Hermione.

After getting settled into their room, Draco went into the bathroom to take a shower. Blaise decided to explore the surrounding area, i.e. scope out the females while Draco was indisposed. He made his way to the lobby and wondered if it was possible to find a decent cup of tea. He went to the reception desk and smiled at the older lady behind it. He inquired about the tea and she directed him to a coffee shop that also served tea and it was located a few blocks from the hotel. Blaise thanked her and left the hotel, walking towards the shop.

Hermione looked forward to her morning walks on the beach. She sometimes ran into Zach and Barney, but this Friday morning they weren't there. Zach had told her that his unit was completing a special exercise that morning so he would be at the base. Hermione truly liked him as a friend, but she could tell that he wanted something more. Sometimes she caught him looking at her and he had a look on his face as if he was trying to figure her out.

She had discovered a few things on her morning walks and one was a coffee shop that also served tea. Hermione had found that she loved their tea and there was also a nice selection of biscuits and scones. After she finished her walk she made her way to the shop, looking forward to a hot, steaming mug of tea and a blueberry scone.

When Hermione entered the shop and walked to the counter, the young woman working smiled at her.

"The usual?" she asked.

Hermione laughed. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

The young woman chuckled and turned to work on Hermione's order. Hermione waited for it at the counter and when it was done, she took her tea and scone to one of the small tables situated near a large window overlooking the sea. As she drank her tea, she became lost in thought, watching passersby and thinking about what she and T.J. had to do that day, so she was startled when someone called her name.

"Hermione Granger? Is that you?" a male voice asked.

Hermione turned towards the voice and was shocked to see Blaise Zabini leaning against the counter. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? "Blaise Zabini, wow, I haven't seen you since Hogwarts."

Blaise walked over to the table. "Yes it has been some time. What brings you to this part of the world?" He couldn't believe his luck! What were the chances of meeting up with Hermione Granger so soon? He was going to have to play it cool and work his charm to find out where she was staying.

"I work for Mesmerize, the recording company. I'm on assignment here. You?" Hermione asked.

"My mother is thinking of purchasing a beach house, so I've been looking at different locations for her," Blaise lied and hoped he was able to convince Hermione.

"That's cool. There are plenty of beautiful homes here, you've come to a good place," Hermione said.

_Whew, she believes me, _Blaise thought and was relieved. "Hermione, I know we were never friends at Hogwarts, but I would love to buy you a drink or have dinner. I'll be here for the weekend."

Hermione thought about this for a few moments and decided that Blaise seemed sincere. "Sure, we can do that. I can give you my number."

"Great," Blaise said and punched Hermione's number into the muggle smartphone he'd bought a few months ago. "Perhaps we could meet tonight if you don't have a previous engagement."

"Sounds good, you can send me a text to let me know the time and place. By the way, is it okay if I bring a friend?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, the more the merrier. It was really good seeing you Hermione. I'll see you later," Blaise said and smiled. He walked back to the counter, where he picked up his order and walked out of the shop.

Hermione smiled as she watched him leave. She would've never imagined meeting someone from Hogwarts here, much less a Slytherin who wanted to make amends.

When Blaise returned to the hotel room, he couldn't wipe the shit-eating grin on his face. Draco was lounging on of the king-sized beds. It occurred to him that he would probably have to get Blaise his own room. No telling who or what Blaise would come back with after going out for the evening. He was startled out of this thought process when Blaise jumped onto his bed.

"What the hell man?" Draco asked and wondered if Blaise had lost his mind.

"You will not believe who I just saw," Blaise said, still grinning.

Draco sat up. "Don't tell me you saw her," he said looking at Blaise in disbelief.

Blaise nodded. "Yeah, Hermione was at a coffee shop not far from here. I couldn't believe it was her. She gave me her number and I told her I'd give her a call to grab drinks or dinner. Dude I can see why you wanted to come here for her. She is fit!"

Draco's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean she gave you her number? Were you trying to hit on Hermione?"

Blaise held up his hands. "Draco, I would never do that to you! I extended the invitation as a friendly gesture. Come on, we weren't on the best terms with the Gryffindors at Hogwarts. I wanted to let her know I'm willing to move past that. She's a nice girl mate. I just was so shocked to see her and I wasn't sure if I should've mentioned that you're here."

Draco sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry if I overreacted. Do you think she'll talk to me? She has to believe that I had nothing to do with that whore. Blaise, do you think this was totally crazy to come here?"

"Do you love her?" Blaise asked as he jumped off of the bed.

Draco nodded. "More than anything in the world."

"Well there you go. There's nothing crazy about that. I'll get in touch with Hermione and if all goes right maybe she'll be coming back to London with us," Blaise said and smiled.

"That would be amazing," Draco replied.

They didn't say anything for a few moments, then Blaise said, "Dray you are one of my closest friends, but would you be terribly upset if I got my own room? I plan on checking out the local hotties tonight and maybe I'll get lucky."

Draco chuckled. "That's funny because I was just thinking about that. Go get your own room man and put it on my bill. It's the least I can do since I dragged you here."

"That won't be necessary, this was a nice diversion. I'm going to go see about that room. Are you okay?" Blaise asked as he stood up.

"I'm more than okay knowing that Hermione is nearby. I think I'm going to take a quick nap and then maybe we can grab a late lunch and discuss our plans for the evening," Draco replied.

"That'll work. I'll see you in a few hours," Blaise said as he grabbed his bag and walked out of the room.

When Blaise left, Draco had to fight the urge to leave the hotel and go to Hermione, but he knew it was best to wait. He had no idea how she was going to react to seeing him in Pensacola. He cringed as he thought about the last time he saw her. She was so upset and hurt when she saw him with Nicolette. Draco hoped he could convince her it was all one huge misunderstanding. He'd do anything to make it to her. These were his last thoughts as he drifted off to sleep, tired from the long flight.

Hermione walked back to the beach house, still thinking about the encounter with Blaise Zabini. It hit her after he left that he and Draco were close friends. Could it be that Draco was with him? _Why would Draco be in Pensacola? That's absurd, _Hermione thought as she reached the beach house. When she entered the house, T.J. was at her usual spot, seated at the snack bar and reading the paper. She looked up and smiled when she saw Hermione.

"Did you enjoy your walk?" she asked.

"I did. It's a lovely morning. I also had a strange experience," Hermione mused.

"Do tell," T.J. said and pushed the paper aside.

Hermione told her about meeting up with Blaise and that he wanted to meet her later for drinks or dinner. T.J. nodded approvingly and agreed to go with Hermione if she made plans with Blaise. She thought it was pretty cool for Hermione to meet up with someone from Hogwarts

After they chatted, the two young women set about going over the contracts for the new band. There were phone calls to be made and an endless stack of paperwork to be processed. It was about 3:30 p.m. and Hermione had just finished. She heard her phone beep, alerting her that she had a text. She smiled when she read it.

_How does drinks and dinner at Terracotta? I made a reservation at 7 pm-Blaise_

Hermione turned to T.J. "Do you know where the Terracotta restaurant is located?"

T.J. nodded. "Sure, it's only a few miles from here. Is that where your friend wants to meet?"

"Yes, he wants to have drinks and dinner. I told him earlier I'd be bringing a friend," Hermione said.

"You didn't have to worry about me, but thank you. Terracotta is really nice, I'm already impressed with your friend's taste," T.J. chuckled.

"I wasn't going to go without you. Something tells me this is going to be an interesting evening," Hermione said as she leaned back in her chair.

"Nothing wrong with that. So what're you going to wear?" T.J. asked. This prompted them to look through their closets. T.J. decided on a deep rose faux-wrap dress with long sleeves. She had bought it the other day and had never worn it. Hermione settled on a pair of fitted black cropped pants, a black-striped T-shirt, and a fitted gold blazer. She had also bought this outfit while shopping with T.J. the other day. She looked through her shoes and picked out a cute pair of black flats emboldened with tiny spike designs.

After showering and applying her makeup, Hermione put on the ensemble. She nodded in the mirror; this outfit was just right. It was fun and casual, perfect for meeting friends. She decided to leave her hair down and pulled away a few strands from her face with a jeweled clip. Hermione left her bedroom and went to check on T.J. to see if she was ready. T.J. was slipping her feet into a pair of pumps with 5-inch heels. She smiled when she saw Hermione at her door.

"You look great. I really like that outfit on you. You could totally wear that at the office too," T.J. said.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at the form-fitting dress and killer heels T.J. wore. "Thank you. You are dressed to kill as usual. I love that dress," she said.

T.J. grinned. "Thanks Hermione. You could totally wear this dress too girl. You need to flaunt those curves!"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't feel like flaunting anything tonight. I sure don't want Blaise Zabini to get the wrong idea. I have no interest in dating anyone. This is strictly a friendly meeting."

"Hmm what about Zack Hall?" T.J. asked with an amused expression.

Hermione sighed. "I'm going to have let Zack know I like him as a friend and that is as far as it is going to go."

T.J. nodded. "I noticed he looks at you like a lost little puppy dog. Maybe it's best that you nip that in the bud. Are you ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go," Hermione replied.

Draco heard a knock on his door and knew it had to be Blaise. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the door and opened it for his friend.

"Are you ready?" Blaise asked.

"I guess so, it's now or never. I feel like this is a dirty trick, what is Hermione going to think when she sees me?" Draco asked, thinking that maybe Blaise's plan wasn't such a great idea.

"Look, if it makes you feel better, blame it all on me. Tell her I never told you that she was coming to dinner, do what you have to do. Just get your arse down to that restaurant," Blaise said and smiled.

"Thanks for doing this," Draco said as they walked to the elevator.

"Hey, what are friends are? I got your back," Blaise said as they reached the elevator and pressed the down button.

Draco was nervous as hell but he couldn't wait to see Hermione no matter what her reaction was going to be.

T.J. drove to Terracotta and Hermione was surprised to see that it wasn't far from the coffee shop she frequented. The restaurant was located in a posh resort and she wondered if this was also where Blaise was staying. T.J. had to drive around the parking lot to find a parking space; it seemed to be full. Finally, she saw a car leaving and she was able to park. They exited the vehicle and walked into the restaurant. They were immediately greeted by the hostess, but Blaise waved them over to the bar. Hermione waved back and they went to meet him.

"It might be a little while until we can get our table. The hostess told me a large party had come in and it might be about 5 minutes. Can I get you ladies anything to drink?" Blaise asked.

"That's no problem. The parking lot is full! I think I'll take a glass of white wine. Oh, where are my manners! Blaise, this is my boss Tamara Jenkins," Hermione said.

"I was wondering when you were going to introduce me to your gorgeous friend," Blaise flirted and took T.J.'s hand, bringing it up to his lips for a soft kiss.

"Aren't you the charming one? Call me T.J. and it's nice to meet you Blaise," T.J. chuckled as she assessed Blaise. He was quite a handsome and charming little devil, but too young for her!

Blaise gave her his most winning smile. "Can I get you a drink, T.J.?"

"I'm driving, so I'll take a Diet Coke with a twist of lemon," T.J. replied.

Blaise nodded and ordered the drinks. He looked at the end of the bar and gave a slight nod to Draco who was seated at the end in a dark corner. Draco decided he would make his entrance once they were seated for dinner.

From his corner, Draco fought the urge to go to Hermione. He watched as she talked to Blaise and T.J., throwing her head back and laughing. _Merlin she's so beautiful, _Draco thought. He didn't know what he was going to do if he walked out of life again after tonight.

After a few minutes, the hostess approached Blaise and told him the table was ready. Blaise stood, allowing Hermione and T.J. to go ahead of him as they followed the hostess to the table. Draco's heart began to beat faster as he saw them walk away from the bar. He placed his drink onto the bar and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. Taking a deep breath, he started walking over to the table.

As they took their seats at the table, Hermione noticed that there was an extra setting at the table and the hostess gave them four menus.

"Will someone else be joining us Blaise?" Hermione asked curiously as she and T.J. took seats across from him.

Blaise nodded. "Yes, as a matter of fact there he is," he said and nodded at someone behind her and T.J.

Hermione turned slightly and when she did, her heart caught in her throat. Draco. Her eyes followed him as he took a seat across from her, his eyes never leaving hers. It took her a few moments to gather her bearings and when she did, it wasn't pretty.

"I can't believe you Blaise Zabini! You aren't looking for a beach house are you? This was all a ploy to get me to see Draco," Hermione hissed. She looked at Draco. "And you? Where's your office slut or the whore you were with at Pim's? I don't believe this." She turned towards T.J. who was watching this unfold with wide eyes. "I'm sorry T.J., but I need to get out of here. I can't handle this!"

"Hermione, please don't leave. I came all this way to tell you-"Draco began to say, but Hermione stopped him as she raised one hand.

"This isn't happening. What're you doing here? I need some air," Hermione said to Draco as she stood up, grabbed her bag and walked towards the exit.

"Come on Hermione, give Draco a chance. There are no other witches in his life, you have to know this. He only wants you," Blaise pleaded.

Ignoring Blaise, Hermione and T.J. left the table, as T.J. grimaced at them and shook her head. She followed Hermione out of the restaurant. T.J. wanted to get them out of there as quickly as possible, but that plan went awry when Zach Hall walked into the restaurant.

Zach's face lit up when he saw Hermione and T.J., but it turned to a look of confusion when it looked like they were leaving.

"Hey ladies, leaving already? My buddies and I are going to the bar. I'd love to buy you a drink," Zach said.

They stopped walking and Hermione faced Zach. "Thanks Zach, but T.J. and I need to go. Maybe some other time."

"Okay. Wait a second. Hermione, why are you upset? Did something happen?" Zach asked as he noticed the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"I'm fine Zach; I just need to get out of here. I'm sorry," Hermione said and finally was able to get out of the restaurant with T.J.

Draco watched this whole scene with a stunned look. He turned to Blaise and asked "Who the fuck is that guy?" when he saw Zach with Hermione. Blaise shrugged. This evening was not going well at all. Maybe he and Draco should go back to their rooms, grab their stuff, and head back to London. When he saw Draco stand up with an angry look on his face, Blaise put a hand on his friend's arm.

"Dray, don't cause a scene. Let her go for now. I'm sure seeing you was quite a shock," he said quietly.

Draco reluctantly sat down again and watched as Hermione and T.J. left the restaurant. He noticed that the man who had stopped Hermione, waited a few moments and then he left the restaurant too. _Fuck that. He's not going after my girl, _Draco thought. He looked at Blaise and told him, "Let's get out of here." Blaise nodded and they left the table.

Hermione and T.J. walked out to the car. When they arrived, Hermione turned to her boss.

"T.J., I'm sorry about all this drama. Look, I think I'm going to take a walk on the beach. You can go back to the house and I'll meet you there," Hermione said.

T.J. shook her head. "I'm not leaving you here. I'll wait in the car. Take your time, I'll be returning calls and texts.

Hermione nodded and gave her grateful smile. She started making her way to the beach.

Zach watched from a distance, seeing T.J. getting in the car, but Hermione walked towards the car. He decided to go after her.

In the meantime, Draco and Blaise had exited the restaurant too. Draco looked towards the parking lot and saw Hermione walking towards the beach. He couldn't believe it when he saw the guy from the restaurant following her. He took off in their direction, but Blaise stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Get your hand off of me Zabini! I'm not letting that git anywhere near my witch!" Draco growled.

"Draco, calm down. We don't even know who he is or what he means to Hermione. Let's go back to our rooms," Blaise said.

"You're right Blaise. Look I need to gather my thoughts. Go ahead and I'll see you later," Draco said and let out a resigned sigh.

Blaise gave his friend a searching look. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"I won't Blaise. If only she would hear me out," Draco said sadly.

Blaise patted him on the back and watched as Draco leaned against one of the Doric columns situated in front of the restaurant. He figured his friend needed his space. Blaise was headed back to his room, but his attention was diverted by two lovelies heading into the hotel bar. He decided to follow them. _Maybe this evening isn't a total loss after all, _he mused.

Hermione stood a few feet from the water's edge, watching as the waves crashed. She hugged her arms to her body; it was chilly but the cool air cleared here head. She closed her eyes and grimaced when she heard someone behind her and realized it was Zach. _I wish he would just go away, I don't need this, _she thought.

"Hermione, I just wanted to make sure you're okay. Did something happen in the restaurant?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and didn't say anything for a few moments. At that moment, she resolved that she needed to tell Zach about Draco.

"Zach, I was involved with someone in London, someone I cared about very much and I still do. We broke up because he cheated on me. I've been trying to get over him and putting everything behind me, but he showed up here tonight. I'm such a mess right now," Hermione said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry. This explains a lot. I guess there isn't a chance for you and me huh?" Zach asked quietly.

Hermione shook her head sadly. "No, I'm sorry. I hope I didn't lead you on."

"No Hermione, I consider you a friend. I'm not going to lie, I was hoping for something more, but I could see that there was something holding you back. Do you want to talk about it? I know I'm probably the last person you want to talk to, but I'm willing to listen," Zach said and smiled.

"Thanks Zach, but I think I just need to be alone to collect my thoughts," Hermione said.

"I hate to leave you out here. Are you sure you'll be okay?" Zach asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine. I'll just be here for a few more minutes. T.J. is waiting in the car," Hermione replied and gave him a small smile, as she wiped the tears away.

"Okay, I'll get back to the restaurant. But Hermione, I'd still like to be friends and I know Barney would too," Zach said, smiling again.

"I'd like that. You're a good man Zach. You deserve someone who can give her whole heart and soul to you. I'm sad to say that mine will probably always belong to Draco," Hermione said sadly.

Zach sighed. "Maybe you'll be able to work out your differences. Draco is a lucky man if he has your heart."

"Thank you Zach, that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me," Hermione said and hugged him.

"You're welcome," Zach said as he hugged her back and released her. He looked at her one last time and then turned to walk back to the restaurant.

Draco stood at the end of the parking lot and had watched this whole scene unfold. His fists had clenched when he saw Hermione hug the git, but then he calmed down when he saw the man walking away from her and towards him. Draco looked him over as he passed by. Zach nodded to him and kept walking.

As Zach walked back to the restaurant he noticed the blond gentleman staring at Hermione. He put two and two together and figured that this had to be Draco. When he was getting close to the entrance of the restaurant, he turned and looked towards the beach, and saw Draco approaching Hermione. Zach turned away and walked into the restaurant. He hoped everything would work out for Hermione, but a small part of him couldn't help wondering what could've been. She was an extraordinary woman.

Hermione continued to stare out at the sea and was lost in her thoughts, so she didn't hear Draco. It wasn't until he was right beside her that she saw him. When she noticed him there, she turned away and was going to leave, but he lightly grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me Draco," Hermione said weakly but her skin was tingling from feeling his touch again. It had been so long.

"Hermione please, just listen to me and after you hear me out you want to walk out of my life, I'll accept that, but just give me a chance to explain," Draco pleaded.

Hermione didn't say anything but turned and faced him with a resigned look on her face. Draco began to speak. "That night you saw me with Nicolette was a total misunderstanding. Hermione, I didn't even know she had flooed home with me, that's how drunk I was. I was upset that evening because I hadn't heard from you. I had her fired from Malfoy Industries. As for the witch you saw me with at Pim's, she was a friend of a witch Blaise was trying to get with. I only agreed to go out with them as a favor to Blaise. I wish I would've known you were at Pim's that night. Hermione, you have to believe me. Baby, I love you so much and I need you. There has never been anyone else, it's always been you and it always will be you. Tell me what I have to do and I'll do it," Draco pleaded and looked into her eyes as he waited for her reaction.

Hermione choked back a sob. "Draco, I was so hurt and I've been doing everything to get you off of my mind, but damn it to hell I still love you! There's never been anyone else for me either, it will always be you." She was so touched by what Draco had just told her. His heart truly did belong to her.

Draco let out the breath he was holding. "What about the guy who was here earlier?"

"Zach is only a friend, nothing happened," Hermione said.

Relieved that Zach wasn't a potential suitor, Draco said "Can we go back to the way we were? Except I'm not going to stand in your way if you need to travel for your job. I realize how unfair that was of me to ask that of you." He moved closer to her as he said this, wanting to take her in his arms, but holding back.

Hermione couldn't hold back any longer. She put her arms around his neck. "There's nothing I want more Draco."

Draco smiled down at her and placed his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. "I promise Hermione I will not ever let you down or give you a reason to doubt me. I love you," he said as he buried his face in her hair.

"I won't either Draco. Will you walk back with me?" Hermione asked.

"I'll do anything you want love," Draco replied. He silently thanked Merlin for what at first looked like the most horrible night of his life and now was turning out to be one of the best. He walked back to the parking lot with Hermione. When they arrived at the vehicle, Hermione stopped and turned to him.

"How long are you going to be in Pensacola?" she asked.

"As long as it takes," Draco replied and stroked her cheek.

Hermione closed her eyes, reveling in his touch. She smiled at him and said, "I'll be right back," as she headed to the driver's side of the vehicle to speak to T.J.

T.J. looked at Draco and Hermione through the rearview mirror and smiled. _Looks like they worked things out, _she thought and was glad for Hermione. She watched as Hermione approached her side of the vehicle and she had a feeling she knew what Hermione was going to tell her. T.J. pressed a button on the door to lower the window and looked up at Hermione.

Hermione smiled. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting but I'm going to stay with Draco tonight. Oh T.J. things are going to be so different. Are you okay going home alone?"

T.J. nodded. "I didn't mind waiting. I'm glad you were able to work things out Hermione, you look happy. Don't worry about me, I have my wand handy. I suppose I'll see you in the morning then?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes and I'll tell you all about it."

"Sounds good. Let me get out of here. Don't keep that man waiting, girl!" T.J. said as she put the shift in reverse. She had no intention of going back to the beach house; it was way too early so she was going to check out Pensacola's night scene.

Hermione walked back to where Draco was waiting. They waved to T.J. and watched as the vehicle exited the parking lot. Hermione fought the urge to smirk as she saw T.J. steer the vehicle in the opposite direction of the beach house. T.J. was going party.

Draco turned to her. "I'm so glad you decided to stay with me. What do you want to do? We can go back and have dinner."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm not hungry. I only want to be with you Draco. Can we go back to where you're staying?"

Draco nodded and didn't say anything as he took her hand and led her to the hotel. This was beyond his wildest expectations; Hermione wanted him as much as he wanted her.

They reached the hotel and went inside. Draco held Hermione's hand as they walked through the lobby. They stopped at the elevators and Draco pushed the "up" button. They waited a few moments for the doors to open and as soon as they did, they stepped in. Glad that they were alone in the elevator, Draco waited until the doors closed before turning to Hermione.

"Can I please kiss you?" he asked as he put his hands on her shoulders.

"I thought you'd never ask," Hermione teased as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Draco looked down at her almost as if he still couldn't believe that she was there before him and softly kissed her. Hermione responded and opened her mouth, letting their tongues touch. Draco groaned and his kiss grew more urgent. His hands became entwined in her hair and his mouth started to move down to her neck. Hermione thrust her head back to give him better access. They didn't notice that the doors of the elevator opened until they heard someone clearing his throat. They pulled away from each other, embarrassed when they saw an elderly couple smiling at them. Draco and Hermione excused themselves and stepped out of the elevator allowing the couple to step in. As the doors closed again, they heard the man tell his wife, "Ah young love! Remember that time when we were on that elevator in Vegas?"

Hermione looked at Draco and started to giggle, but he silenced her with a kiss, as he backed her into a wall in the long hallway. She kissed him back and her hands found their way in his silky hair. After a few minutes of making out in the hallway, Draco pulled away from her.

"We better get to my room. I'm about to shag you here in the hallway," he said softly in her ear.

Hermione nodded as he took her hand and they walked to his room. When they arrived, Draco opened the door and gently pushed her inside. As soon as the door was shut, they were kissing again, this time their fingers working on getting each other undressed. It had been way too long for both of them and they wanted to make up for lost time. Hermione's jacket fell to the floor, along with her T-shirt. She quickly unbuttoned Draco's shirt and he shrugged it off. Hermione moved her lips from his, moving down to kiss his chest, while Draco undid the front clasp of her bra. Her hands moved to work on his pants, undoing his belt buckle and unzipping them. Draco kicked off his shoes and pants. His hands quickly unfastened Hermione's pants. He moved around and gave her ass a quick squeeze through her pants.

"Your arse looks so scrumptious in those pants love, but I can't wait to get them off," he said huskily as he pulled them down.

Hermione removed her pants and shoes, letting the fall near the rest of their clothes piling on the floor. She and Draco made their way to the bed and began kissing again. Draco moved to her breasts, fondling them and licking her nipples. Hermione moaned lightly as she held his head against her. He kissed her bellybutton and then sat up. He removed her panties and went back to kissing her again, his right hand moving to her nether region. He inserted one finger in her and his very erect cock twitched when he felt how wet she was. Hermione began to move against his hand as he inserted another finger. He continued to kiss her and with his free hand, removed his boxers. He felt Hermione's small hands move to his cock and groaned when he felt her touch. That was it, he had to have her. He removed his fingers from her and replaced them with his dick. Hermione squealed with pleasure as he buried himself in her. Draco moved slowly because he felt like he was going to burst if he moved faster. It had been way too long.

As they moved slowly with each other, Hermione began to cry softly. Draco stopped moving.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asked concerned.

"Nothing Draco, I'm just so happy," Hermione replied and kissed him as she thrust her hips to his. Draco took the hint and began to move again. He kissed her tears away as they brought each other to a mind-blowing climax. It reminded Draco of the first time he had made love to her at Hogwarts.

As they caught their breath and held each other in their arms, they both knew that they'd never be apart from each other again.

**I apologize for the delay in the update! Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy it!**

**As always, thank you so much for the reviews and alerts!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Are You Gonna Be My Girl**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing related to Harry Potter. **

Hermione woke up the next morning and smiled when her brown eyes met Draco's grey ones. His head was propped up on one hand and he had been watching her sleep. He was so relieved that she was back in his arms. Draco was going to do everything in his power to make sure she knew how much he loved and wanted her forever.

"Good morning Draco," Hermione said softly as she sleepily gazed at his handsome face. _It should be a crime for a man to look this gorgeous in the morning, _Hermione thought as she looked up at him. She truly felt like the luckiest woman in the world; she was so in love with him.

"Good morning to you love. Did you sleep well?" Draco asked as he pulled her close to him. Hermione nodded as she nuzzled his chest and rested her head on it. After a few minutes, Hermione gently moved out of his arms. Draco looked at her in confusion.

"Where are you going?" he asked softly.

"I really need to pee," Hermione said and giggled.

"I'm sorry love, go ahead," Draco chuckled. He had awoken about an hour before she did and had already relieved himself, along with brushing his teeth. Draco couldn't wait to get Hermione back in the bed. They were definitely going to make up for lost time. He watched as she rose from the bed and stretched her limbs. She looked at him over her shoulder and gave him a flirty smile before she walked to the bathroom. _Cheeky little minx, _Draco thought as he looked at her with hooded eyes. She knew exactly what she was doing to him.

When she returned to the bed, Draco pounced on her. She began to giggle, but that was soon stifled as Draco covered her mouth with his. Hermione responded by kissing him back gently, nibbling on his lower lip. He groaned and kissed her roughly. She pushed against him and could feel that he was more than ready for another bout of lovemaking. Draco took the hint and buried himself into her, never breaking their kiss. They moved together, their hips moving together and her hips meeting his every thrust. Hermione began to feel the warmth spread in her lower regions and knew she was very close; when she hit her peak she gasped in Draco's mouth. Draco sped up when he felt her inner walls contract; it didn't take long for him to lose control after this. As he felt his orgasm approaching, he gripped her hips as his thrusts became more rough and urgent. When his release finally came, Draco cried out Hermione's name. As he caught his breath, he slowly pulled out of her. As he lay back on the bed, he looked at Hermione and smiled.

"How was that love?" he asked.

"Incredible, but it always is with you Draco. No other man could make me feel like this," Hermione replied as she stroked his cheek.

"There better not be any other man. You're the only one for me Hermione," Draco said.

Sated from their lovemaking, they lay beside each other, talking softly.

"I hate to leave, but I'm going to have to get back to T.J.," Hermione said.

"I'm not planning on going anywhere. I'd like to spend time with you here, but I understand if you have work to do. That was really stupid and selfish of me to try to hold you back from your career Hermione. Things are going to different," Draco stated as he looked into her eyes.

"You can't imagine how happy that makes me Draco," Hermione replied.

They lingered in bed for a few more moments and then Hermione got out to dress. Draco had his arms wrapped around a pillow and was resting on his stomach as he watched her dress. When she was done, Draco rose from the bed and pulled on a pair of boxers. He walked with Hermione to the door and they shared a long kiss before she left.

"I'd like to take you out to dinner tonight," Draco said.

Hermione nodded. "I don't care where you take me, as long as we're together."

Draco groaned as he pulled her to him and gave her a searing kiss. When they were done, Hermione had to gently push him away. "I will definitely see you later," she said as she walked into the hallway outside of his room. She waved to Draco as she headed towards the elevator. Draco watched her until she was out of sight and then went back into his room. He was so glad that he had taken a risk and come to Pensacola. Hermione was his again.

Hermione made it down to the lobby and grabbed a taxi to take her back to the beach house. When she arrived, T.J. was outside on the deck. It was a beautiful day and T.J. was sitting on an Adirondack chair enjoying the cool air, along with the sounds and smell of the sea, and her cup of coffee. She looked up and smiled when Hermione joined her.

"I take it everything went well?" T.J. asked and smiled.

Hermione nodded and sat in the chair next to T.J.'s. "It went very well. T.J., I can't help it; I'm so in love with him."

"Hermione, that's wonderful. I think it's so romantic that Draco came all the way over here for you. What are your plans?"

"Gosh, I don't know T.J. Draco apologized for the way he reacted for my job and said he'd never stand in the way of my career again, so there's that. I guess we'll just go with the flow for the moment," Hermione replied with a dreamy smile.

"You know we've just about wrapped everything up here in Pensacola. If you're ready to head back to London with Draco, go ahead," T.J. said. There were still quite a few things to be taken care of, but T.J. would handle it. She wanted Hermione to be happy and after seeing her with Draco, it was obvious that they belonged together.

"Oh no, I intend on finishing my work here," Hermione protested.

"I got this girly. Why don't you pack up your things and head on home with that fine ass man of yours!" T.J. chuckled.

"Are you sure T.J.? What about Mesmerize, what am I going to tell them?" Hermione asked.

"Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it," T.J. replied.

"Thank you so much T.J.! I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," Hermione said.

"You're welcome Hermione. You deserve to be happy. Now get out of here and pack your stuff," T.J. scolded lightly. She smiled as Hermione jumped up from the chair and headed back into the beach house. T.J. knew that this was probably the last assignment she was going to have with Hermione. Not everyone was cut out for this line of work. She reflected back on when she was Hermione's age and wondered if she should've taken a chance on love. T.J. mentally shook her head. She was content with how everything worked out in her life.

In the next few hours, Hermione gathered her belongings and got in touch with Draco. When she told him that her work was done in Pensacola, they decided to forgo dinner that night and head back to London. Draco was able to make arrangements for plane tickets to take them back that evening.

Hermione took a deep breath; she couldn't believe how everything had fallen into place. It wasn't that long ago when she was certain that it was over with Draco and now here he was. He loved her as much as she loved him. Hermione made sure she had packed everything and shrunk it down. As she waited for the airline shuttle to pick her up, she sat with T.J. and they talked.

"I guess this is it," T.J. said and gave a small smile. She was going to miss Hermione, but she truly felt that Hermione was doing the right thing by being with Draco.

"I'm just going back to London, I'll be available for any upcoming assignments," Hermione replied and gave T.J.'s arm a reassuring squeeze.

T.J. turned to her and grasped her hands. "Hermione, think hard about what you want. Do you really want to be away from Draco for long periods of time? I know you're young, but I've never seen a couple like you and Draco. You and he are the real deal; don't let anything stand in the way of your happiness."

"I'm a little surprised to hear that from you T.J. What about Mesmerize? Draco said he's fine with whatever decision I make," Hermione replied, taken aback by T.J. revealing this to her.

"There are plenty of opportunities to move up at Mesmerize in our London office, without having to go out on assignments. In fact, I know of an opening that would be perfect for you," T.J. said mischievously.

"You know I thought being out in the clubs, checking out new acts was what I wanted, but I think staying grounded in London will work out well for me. What's this about an opening?" Hermione asked.

"I'll let Byron tell you about it when you get back in London, but I think this would work out perfectly for you," T.J. said.

"T.J. I don't know what to say. Thank you for everything, you've been amazing and I've learned so much from you. I appreciate the opportunity you've given me," Hermione said and hugged her.

T.J. hugged her back. "I enjoyed it Hermione and you're welcome. I think you're an exceptional witch and I feel like I've made a lifelong friend. I'll expect an invitation to the wedding!"

"Most definitely T.J. I can't promise when that'll be, but you'll be on top of the list," Hermione said happily. As they told each other goodbye, the airline shuttle pulled up. Draco stepped out of the vehicle and walked over to them. He picked up Hermione's bag and smiled at T.J.

"You take care of my girl or you'll have to deal with me," T.J. told him as she wiped a few tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes.

"Something tells me I don't want to get on your bad side," Draco chuckled. "You have nothing to worry about. I love her," he said as he turned towards Hermione and took her hand. "Are you ready love?" he asked Hermione.

Hermione nodded. They walked to the shuttle and Hermione stepped in. She took a seat next to Blaise. Draco gave her bag to the driver and climbed in the shuttle, sitting beside Hermione. Blaise gazed out of the window at T.J.

"That is one fine woman. Do you think I have a chance with her?" he asked Hermione.

"Hmm about as much as a snowball in hell," Hermione chuckled while Draco laughed.

"I bet if I would've had more time here, she would've been eating out of the palm of my hand," Blaise bragged.

"I think it would've been the other way around Blaise. T.J. is way too much for you to handle," Draco said.

Blaise rolled his eyes at this and looked back at T.J. as the shuttle pulled away. He blew a kiss to her. He smiled when T.J. grinned and shook her head in a good-natured manner. He watched as she walked back into the beach house. _Yeah, I could've tapped that if we would've stayed an extra night,_ Blaise thought confidently.

T.J. laughed to herself when that cocky wizard Blaise blew a kiss her way. He was quite good-looking, but way too young for her. T.J. had no intention of being a cougar witch. She sighed as she walked back into the quiet beach house. _Back to square one, _she thought. T.J. was going to have to find another assistant.

When they arrived at the airport, Blaise, Draco, and Hermione checked in and it wasn't long before they boarded the plane. They settled into the first class section, Draco and Hermione sitting together and Blaise was seated behind them. As the plane prepared for takeoff, Draco took Hermione's hand closest to him and brought it to his lips. She settled back into the comfortable seat and smiled at him. Draco held her hand for the whole trip; he was never letting her go again.

Hours later they arrived safely in London. Hermione slipped into the ladies room before they left, so this gave Blaise and Draco a little time to talk.

"Blaise, I can't thank you enough for coming with me. You truly are my best friend," Draco said as he shook his hand.

"You're welcome. Merlin knows you've helped me out time and time again. I enjoyed it Dray, I'm glad it all worked out. Hermione is amazing," Blaise replied and smiled.

At that moment, Hermione stepped out of the ladies room. She walked out of the airport with Blaise and Draco to where a car was waiting for them. The driver brought Blaise to his flat. As he stepped out of the vehicle, Blaise grinned and gave a small salute.

"Thanks for the mini-vacay, I'll see you two later I'm sure," he said.

Draco only smirked while he and Hermione waved. As the car pulled away, he settled into the sumptuous leather of the back seat of the Mercedes sedan. He had his arm around Hermione and was nuzzling her neck. As she giggled and playfully pushed him away, the driver interrupted them.

"Shall I bring you and Ms. Granger to your home?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Digby," Draco answered. He noticed Hermione looking at him with a small smile. "You did want to come home with me?" he asked.

"Of course I did silly," Hermione answered and kissed him full on the lips. As their kissing became more intense, Draco pulled away and gently held her face in her hands. He loved the way she looked at that moment, her eyes were dark with desire and her lips were parted.

"Draco, why did you stop?" Hermione asked softly.

"I had to. I don't think Mr. Digby would appreciate me having my way with you when he's only a few centimeters away. You are so in for it when we get home," Draco whispered as he nibbled her ear.

"Mmm, I can't wait Mr. Malfoy," Hermione replied. She didn't feel a sense of apprehension when he mentioned "home." Hermione realized at that moment that she no longer had qualms about moving too quickly with Draco; this felt right.

They soon arrived at their destination. Once they walked inside, Draco pulled Hermione to him. He gently framed her face with both of his hands and looked deep into her eyes.

"You can't imagine how happy I am at this moment. I'm so glad that you're here," he said softly.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist. "Draco, I've been so headstrong and made such foolish choices. I've been so blind to what we have. I feel so lucky that you've been willing to look past that and still want me in your life. I simply love you with all of my heart."

"You've just made me the happiest man alive love. Come on, I have something special planned for us," Draco replied, as he removed his hands from her face. He led her to the dining room. Hermione gasped when she walked into the room, taking in the table set with candles and dinner for two.

Draco smiled when he saw her reaction. "I had one of the house elves come in and set this up for us since we didn't have dinner in Pensacola. I thought it would be a nice surprise."

"It's a wonderful surprise Draco. This is so thoughtful," Hermione replied and sat down in the chair Draco pulled out for her.

Draco sat across from her and they began to eat, enjoying the food and discussing what had been happening in their lives. When they were about to have dessert, Draco decided that it was the right time. He stood up and went around to Hermione's side of the table. Her eyes grew wide when he knelt down beside her and pulled out a small box from his pants pocket.

"Hermione, I know we're young and just getting out into the real world, but I'm ready to be committed to you. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Draco asked as he removed the diamond and ruby ring from the box. He placed the ring on the third finger of Hermione's left hand.

Hermione lifted her hand up and looked at the truly spectacular gem gracing her hand; it fit perfectly. Tears began to course down her face and she pulled Draco up and gave him a fierce hug. Draco wrapped his arms around her and looked at her.

"I take it that this means yes?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I'll marry you!" Draco pulled her up and held her for a long time. They eventually made their way up to the bedroom, where they made up for all of the time that had been lost.

When Draco returned to work the following week, he was shocked to find out that Starla had resigned. He asked around the office, but no one seemed to know anything. He was told that she hadn't shown up for work the Friday before. One of the secretaries said that she had left a letter on Draco's desk. When he went to his office, there was no letter. He decided to check with his father. When he arrived at Lucius' office, the door was open and Lucius motioned for him to enter.

"Father, why did Starla leave so suddenly? Did she speak to you?" Draco asked with a puzzled look.

Lucius shook his head. "Son, I was just as shocked as you were. Starla was one of our best employees. In fact, I was planning on giving her a raise," Lucius replied.

"I was told she left a letter on my desk. Do you have it?" Draco asked.

Lucius nodded and opened one of the drawers at his desk. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to Draco. "I didn't want someone else in the office reading it. It's the strangest thing; no one seems to know much about her. She was friendly with some of her coworkers at the office, but as far as I know she didn't spend time with anyone outside of work."

Draco quickly scanned the contents of the letter.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_It has been a great pleasure working for your company and I thank you. I know my departure is sudden, but I've received an offer that I cannot pass up. I have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. I regret that I wasn't able to give a notice, but this new position requires that I start right away. _

_Again, thank you for being a great boss. I wish you all the best and happiness in the world-you deserve it!_

_Starla _

Draco shook his head in disbelief and then a slow smile spread across his face. He thanked his father and rushed back to his office with the letter in his hand. When he arrived at his office, he walked in and spotted the music magazine Starla had lent him. It was still on his desk where he had left it before leaving for Pensacola. He picked it up and began thumbing through it. Just as he suspected after reading Starla's letter, there was no mention of Hermione anywhere in the magazine. Draco put the magazine down and sat down in a chair. He chuckled to himself. Had Starla been his guardian angel?

When Starla left the office on Thursday evening, she crossed her fingers that her little magazine trick was finally going to bring Draco and Hermione together. Time was of the essence for her and if this didn't work, she wasn't sure what she was going to do. She liked Draco and her coworkers, but she didn't want to work there forever. When she arrived at her apartment and walked in, she was shocked as her body was propelled forward and she felt the surge of apparation. When she finally caught her breath, she realized she was back in the world she had come from. Starla looked around her and saw her parents and siblings, along with other family and friends. They were clapping and congratulating her. She couldn't believe it; her task was complete! As her family and friends hugged her, she saw her superior Logan walking up to her. She broke away and walked towards him. He smiled warmly at her.

"Starla, my child, you've finally reached your goal. Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy are finally together. The wizarding world will benefit from this union," Logan said.

Starla curtsied and bowed her head towards him. "You cannot imagine how long I've been waiting to hear those words from you Logan. I'm so glad they're finally together. If there were ever two people that should be united, it's Draco and Hermione," she replied.

"Stand up Starla," Logan commanded gently. He waved his wand and Starla gasped when she felt the wings sprouting from her back. _Finally! I'm a full-fledged fairy, _she thought gleefully. She tentatively flapped her shimmering silver wings and giggled when she heard the soft flutter. Logan smiled at her and shook his head. For some time, he wondered if Starla was ever going to earn her wings, but she had finally proved herself by showing that couple they truly belonged together.

After celebrating with her fairy family, Starla decided to make a quick trip to Pensacola, Florida. With a quick pop, she was there. She spotted Draco and Hermione on the beach and smiled when she saw them walking hand in hand. Satisfied that all was well, she went back to her world. She quickly penned a letter of resignation and had a messenger bring it to Malfoy Industries. With all of her bases covered, Starla settled back into the fairy world, but she still planned to pop back into the mortal world to make sure her favorite couple was faring well.

The next few months were a tad chaotic, to say the least, but Draco and Hermione enjoyed every moment of it. Their parents and friends were thrilled when they announced their engagement. They scheduled their wedding a few months after Ginny and Harry's.

Ginny and Hermione gave up the cottage they were renting. Since they were both engaged and had dates set, it seemed their parents were more accepting of them living with their significant others before marriage. Draco was thrilled when Hermione finally moved in with him. Hermione made a few changes to the sterile interior of the home, adding a woman's touch. Draco gave her free reign; he didn't care what the house looked like, as long as Hermione was part of it.

T.J. was right about the job at Mesmerize. Byron needed an assistant and when he heard Hermione was interested, he accepted her resignation as T.J.'s assistant and she was reassigned. She loved working in human resources. Hermione found out that she was great at helping out employees and resolving any crises that popped up. She still received the perks of being invited to concerts and new club openings, which worked out well. Sometimes she and Draco liked going out, but the majority of their free time was spent at home. In between all of this, she squeezed in dress fittings and wedding planning with her mother and Narcissa.

**Two Years Later**

Hermione looked over at her husband and still couldn't believe that she was married to such an incredible man. After many trials and tribulations, everything had fallen in place when she finally realized she and Draco were meant to be together. Her career at Mesmerize was flourishing and she was promoted to Byron's former position as director of human resources. Byron Clement had moved up to being the Vice President of Mesmerize. Employees of Mesmerize speculated that Hermione would probably move into that position one day too, but Hermione was happy where she was.

Draco watched his wife moving around the kitchen and wondered if it was possible to be even more in love with her than he was a year ago. Hermione was the best thing that ever happened to him. They had their ups and downs, but everything had worked out. Malfoy Industries was once again at the top of the businesses in the wizarding world. Lucius had been cutting back on his hours at the office and leaving the business in Draco's more than capable hands. Life was perfect.

Starla, invisible and hovering in a corner, watched as Draco and Hermione sat down at the snack bar in the kitchen and shared an informal dinner. She smiled as she watched them chat about their day. They were truly a happy couple. Starla sighed happily. Their life was wonderful, but maybe it needed something more. She moved closer to them and fluttered her wings, letting fairy dust sprinkle upon their shoulders. Starla was so excited after doing this; she couldn't resist letting out a soft giggle as she popped back into her world.

Hermione stopped eating and looked around the kitchen. She could've sworn she heard someone giggling.

"Is something wrong love?" Draco asked.

"Did you hear that?" Hermione asked as she turned on the stool, her eyes scanning the kitchen.

"Hear what?" Draco asked, puzzled.

"You're going to think I'm completely mental, but I could've sworn I heard a woman giggling," Hermione chuckled.

"I didn't hear anything. Maybe you need some rest. Why don't you get ready for bed and I'll take care of the dishes," Draco replied and rubbed her back.

Hermione turned to him and smiled. "You're right. I've been putting in long hours at Mesmerize. I think I'll take a bath and go to bed. I can help with the dishes."

Draco shook his head. "Nonsense, go run your bath. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Okay, thanks. Have I told you how much I love you?" Hermione said and kissed him.

"All the time, but I never get tired of hearing it. I love you too," Draco replied and kissed her back.

Hermione slipped off of the stool and headed upstairs. When she reached the bathroom, she went to the tub and let the water run. She added enchanted bath salts and inhaled the eucalyptus scent as it filled the room. After she undressed and the tub was full, Hermione stepped into the warm water and sunk into it. _This is so relaxing after such a long day, _she thought. After a few minutes, Draco entered the bathroom and it wasn't long before his clothes were shed and he got into the tub behind her. When he settled in, he pulled Hermione close to him and buried his face in her soft hair, kissing her.

"I look forward to these moments," Draco said softly.

"I do too. I love the end of the day and we're together," Hermione replied.

They soaked in the tub for about 20 minutes and then decided to shower. When they were done, Hermione pulled on a robe and went into the bedroom. She sat at her vanity and was brushing her hair when she saw Draco staring at her through the mirror. He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging them through her robe. Hermione closed her eyes; this was total bliss.

"Draco, that feels wonderful. I feel so relaxed," Hermione said.

Draco smiled and kept on massaging her. After a few minutes Hermione stood up so that she was facing him. They started kissing each other softly while Hermione's robe fell to the floor along with the towel Draco had wrapped around his waist. They made their way to the bed, never breaking their kiss. As Hermione fell back on the bed, she pulled Draco so that he was top of her. They began to slowly make love, taking the time to truly enjoy each other. Draco knew every curve and sensitive spot of his wife's body, as she did his. They were so relaxed that neither one remembered to cast a contraceptive charm.

Two months later, Hermione was suffering from a virus that she just couldn't get rid of. After throwing up for the third time one morning at work, she decided to visit a walk-in MediWitch clinic on her lunch hour. When she went in and began to tell the older witch her symptoms, the woman only smiled and waved her wand over Hermione's lower body. Hermione gasped when she saw the telltale blue glow indicating that she was pregnant. She couldn't believe that she thought she was suffering from a virus! When she heard the news, she burst into tears. The older witch comforted her. After she got over the initial shock at receiving this prognosis, she thanked the witch and left the clinic. She decided to head over to Malfoy Industries.

When she arrived at Draco's office, the receptionist, Danielle greeted her with a genuine smile. Hermione returned the greeting and waved to the young girl as she walked past her. When she arrived at Draco's office, she took a deep breath before knocking. She had no idea how Draco was going to respond to this news. They had discussed starting a family, but they were going to wait a few years. _So much for that, _Hermione thought as she knocked on the door.

Draco was sitting at his desks and was so immersed in looking over expense reports that he was startled by the knock on the door.

"Enter," he said in a businesslike tone. He sighed and stood up, wondering which of his staff was interrupting him. When he saw Hermione walk in, his face lit up. "Hey love, what are you doing here?" he asked happily, but then grew concerned when he saw that she had been crying. "What's wrong? Did something happen at work?" Draco asked as he walked over to his wife and pulled her into his arms.

Hermione shook her head and the tears began to fall again. "Nothing happened at work. I'm coming from the MediWitch clinic."

"Oh, you went to see about that virus you've been suffering from. I don't understand why you're crying. I'm sure there are potions that will make you feel better," Draco said.

"It's not a virus Draco. I'm pregnant," Hermione said and waited for his reaction. Draco was about to say something, but then stopped and stared at her. "You, you, you're pregnant?" he asked, stammering.

Hermione nodded and wiped away some of the tears that had fallen. Draco pulled away from her and stood back, still staring at her. Hermione bit her lip and watched him, wondering if he was upset or just shocked. Suddenly, Draco walked back towards her and went to his knees. He wrapped his arms around her waist and put his head against her abdomen. He looked up at her, his grey eyes shining. "You mean to tell me that we actually made a baby?" Hermione nodded and she ran her fingers through his soft hair. After a few moments, Draco slowly stood up. He took her in his arms and kissed her softly.

"Just when I thought things couldn't be better, you've proved me wrong," he said.

"So you're happy about the baby?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"Merlin yes Hermione! I'm so excited that we're starting our family," Draco said happily. "I can't wait to tell everyone!"

"Let's wait a few weeks and keep this to ourselves. Maybe we can have a special dinner with our parents at that time and tell them the news," Hermione suggested.

"Your wish is my command love," Draco replied as he kissed her again.

The next few weeks went by quickly. Their parents and friends were thrilled with the news. Draco and Hermione's parents couldn't wait to welcome their new grandchild into the world. To say that this child was going to be spoiled beyond belief was the understatement of the century.

The happy couple was at home when Hermione's water broke. Hermione remained calm while Draco ran around the house, making sure that they had everything before taking the floo to St. Mungo's. They arrived at the hospital with only a few minutes to spare for it wasn't long after that Scorpius Abraxas Malfoy arrived in the world. As Draco watched his tired but still gorgeous wife nurse their newborn son, he was finally able to breathe easier. He thought about how close he had come to not having Hermione in his life and wondered how he could've ever lived without her. At that moment, Draco could not imagine loving anyone more than his wife and son.

Starla popped back in when the new parents were asleep. Baby Scorpius was fighting his sleep and about to cry when he spotted a bright light. Starla smiled down at the baby boy and sprinkled fairy dust over him. She was definitely going to be keeping watch over this little one. He looked at her with what could pass for a smile, but was probably gas. Starla giggled as she popped out of the room and back into her world.

Hermione woke up with a start and looked over at Scorpius in his cradle next to her hospital bed. She then looked around the room because she could've sworn she heard a woman giggling. Hermione figured that she was exhausted and hearing things. She slowly got out of the bed and went to her son. As she picked him up from the cradle, she noticed that there was some kind of dusty residue on the blanket. Frowning, she touched it and gasped when her fingers tingled and the dust faded away. Fairy dust! It finally dawned on Hermione that she really did hear a woman giggling; the first time, months ago at her home and now in the hospital room. Hermione smiled as she looked down at Scorpius. He was a very special baby indeed to have a fairy godmother like Starla.

**I apologize for the delay in updating. This one is finally complete. I so loved Draco and Hermione in this one; maybe I was subconsciously reluctant to end it! Thank you so much to everyone who has kept up with this story with the alerts and reviews. My school schedule is hectic, but I don't want to give up on Fanfiction. Writing these stories make me happy and I hope you all enjoy them!**


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